CONTRIBUTIONS  TO 


AMERICAN  LIBRARY  E 


(^ontxxhntxoxxs  to 


LIBRARY   OF   CONGRESS 


HISTORY  OF  THE 


LIBRARY  OF  CONGRESS 


VOLUME  I 

1800-1864 


BY 

WILLIAM  DAWSON  JOHNSTON 

OF  THE  LIBRARY  OF  CONGRESS 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT  PRINTING  OFFICE 

1904 


/  ->  -^  "AiilTA  BARBARA  COLLEGE  LJBRAIT 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL 

Sir  :  This  volume  is  the  first  of  the  series  of  Contributions 
to  American  Library  History,  the  preparation  of  which  has 
been  undertaken  by  librarians  representing  the  several  States, 
the  editing  and  publishing  of  which  has  been  assumed  by 
this  Library, 

In  conformity  with  the  plan  of  that  series  all  documents  of 
importance  which  relate  to  the  history  of  the  national  library 
are  reproduced  here  in  full  or  in  extenso.  Many  picturesque 
incidents,  many  antiquarian  details,  many  expressions  of  con- 
temporary opinion,  which  in  the  history  of  another  library 
might  be  of  merely  local  interest,  are  presented.  The  devel- 
opment not  only  of  the  institution  but  of  opinion  regarding 
it  is  discussed. 

The  history  of  the  Jefferson  collection,  now  written  for  the 
first  time,  the  references  to  the  literary  habits  and  preposses- 
sions of  statesmen  of  the  first  half  of  the  century,  and  the 
material  illustrative  of  the  political  and  literary  conditions 
of  that  period  may  be  of  general  interest.  The  records  of  the 
Library  administration,  its  bibliographical  policy,  its  routine 
and  method,  its  achievements  and  its  plans,  the  account  of 
the  early  policy  of  the  Government  with  regard  to  the  col- 
lection of  manuscripts  and  of  Americana,  will  appeal  more 
especially  to  librarians  and  historians.  The  descriptions  of 
the  library  rooms,  the  career  of  George  Watterston,  and  per- 
haps other  matters  will  be  of  local  value. 

The  completion  of  this  investigation,  which  has  occupied 
my  unofiicial  time  for  the  past  three  years,  has  involved  the 
examination  of  local  archives  and  newspapers,  of  legislative 
records  and  documents,  and  of  the  representative  literary  and 

5 


6  LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL 

scientific  periodicals  of  the  country.  It  has  been  made  pos- 
sible by  the  richness  and  accessibility  of  the  material  in  the 
national  collection,  and  by  the  encouragement  which  the  work 
has  received  from  you,  from  the  chief  assistant  librarian, 
Mr.  Spofford,  from  my  learned  associates,  and  from  officers 
of  the  other  departments  of  the  Government,  particularly 
the  clerk  of  the  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library,  Mr.  H.  A. 
Vale,  the  Chief  Clerk  in  the  Office  of  the  Secretary  of  the 
Senate,  Mr.  H.  M.  Rose,  and  the  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of 
Rolls  in  the  Department  of  State,  Mr.  A.  H.  Allen. 

I  must  also  acknowledge  my  indebtedness  to  Mr.  J.  Henley 
Smith,  Mr.  Henry  Adams,  Miss  Laura  Meehan,  and  to  the 
late  Mr.  David  Watterston,  of  this  city;  to  the  Hon.  William 
Everett,  of  Quincy,  Mass.;  to  the  Hon.  J.  A.  Pearce,  of  Annapo- 
lis; to  the  late  Mrs.  Caroline  Crane  Marsh,  of  Scarsdale,  N.  Y.; 
to  Mr.  Elbridge  T.  Gerry,  of  Newport;  to  Mrs.  Charles  W. 
Allen,  of  Boston ;  to  the  Rev.  Bdward  Everett  Hale ;  to  Mr. 
Robert  H.  Kelby,  of  the  New  York  Historical  Society ;  Mr. 
William  Nelson,  of  the  New  Jersey  Historical  Society; 
Mr.  John  W.  Jordan,  of  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society; 
Mr.  R.  A.  Brock,  of  the  Southern  Historical  Society;  Mr. 
William  Beer,  of  the  Howard  Memorial  Library,  New  Orleans ; 
and  to  her  who  from  first  to  last  has  shared  with  me  the  joy 
and  labor  of  this  work  of  research. 

In  order  that  the  records  of  the  national  library  may  be 
as  complete  and  accessible  as  possible,  it  is  hoped  to  supple- 
ment this  volume  b}^  a  second,  describing  the  history  of  the 
Library  since  1864,  and  a  third  describing  the  history  of 
the  other  libraries  of  the  Government. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

W.  Dawson  Johnston. 

Herbert  Putnam 

Librarian  of  Congress 

Washington^  D,  C,  April  20 y  igo^ 


CONTENTS. 

lyCtterof  transmittal,  5;  Contents,  7;  lyist  of  plates.  11;  Chronology,  13. 

CHAPTER  ONE. 

CONDITIONS    BKFORE    THE    YEAR    1800. 

Use  of  libraries  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  17;  Gerry's  plan  for  a 
library,  18. 

CHAPTER  TWO. 

ESTABLISHMENT   OF   THE    I^IBRARY,    1800-1805. 

The  first  purchase  of  books,  24;  Report  of  committee  on  hbrary  organi- 
zation, 26;  L,egislative  debate,  29;  Organic  act,  January  26,  1802,  32; 
Library  room  and  officers,  1802-1805,  33;  President  Jefferson  and  the 
collection  of  books,  1 802-1 805,  35. 

CHAPTER  THREE. 

GROWTH    OF   THE    LIBRARY,     1805-1814. 

The  library  room,  1805-1814,  41;  Library  administration — the  librarian, 
44;  The  library  committee,  45;  John  Quincy  Adams's  memoirs,  47; 
Character  of  the  library  in  1814,  48;  Neglect  to  secure  Tatham's  col- 
lection of  American  topograph}^  50;  The  collection  of  documents,  54; 
Privileges  of  the  library  extended  to  the  agent  of  the  library  committee 
and  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court,  55;  Chief  Justice  Marshall,  57; 
Rules  of  the  library,  58. 

CHAPTER  FOUR. 

DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  OLD  LIBRARY  AND  PURCHASE  OF   THE  JEFFERSON 

LIBRARY. 

Burning  of  the  Capitol,  65;  Offer  of  the  Jefferson  librar}^  to  Congress,  68; 
The  question  of  purchase  in  Congress,  72;  Public  opinion  regarding 
the  purchase,  78;  Evaluation  of  the  library,  80;  Purchase  of  the 
library,  84;  Value  of  the  library,  90;  Removal  of  the  librarj^  to  Wa.sli- 
ington,  97. 

7 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  FIVE. 

THE   DEVELOPMENT    OF   THE    LIBRARY,     1S14-1829. 

Librarian  Watterston,  107;  His  literary  work,  109;  Library  room  in  Blod- 
get's  hotel,  120;  A  library  building  suggested,  123;  Removal  to  the 
north  wing  of  the  Capitol,  18 18,  125;  Completion  of  the  library  room 
in  the  center  building,  1824,  128;  Fire  of  December  22,  1825,  132; 
Question  of  a  fireproof  room,  135;  Need  of  a  national  library,  138; 
Classification  of  the  library,  141;  Jefferson  on  classification,  142; 
Cataloguing  of  the  library,  147;  Administrative  measures,  1815-1817, 
150;  Development  of  the  library,  1817-1824,  158;  Development  of  the 
library,  1824-1829 — renewed  interest  in  the  librarj^  160;  Edward 
Everett's  work,  164;  Collections  and  departments  in  1829,  168;  manu- 
scripts, 169;  law,  171;  documents,  173;  Library  staff  and  service,  178; 
Privileges  of  the  librarj',  183;  Use  of  the  library,  185. 

CHAPTER  SIX. 

THE    LIBRARY    IN    POLITICS. 

The  removal  of  Librarian  Watterston  by  President  Jackson,  189;  Jour- 
nalistic controversy  regarding  the  legality  of  the  removal,  190;  Parti- 
san attacks  upon  the  library,  199;  Speech  of  Senator  Holmes,  199;  The 
ex-librarian  compares  the  Democratic  with  the  Whig  administration, 
201;  His  attempts  to  secure  reinstatement  in  ofi&ce,  letters  to  J.  M. 
Clayton,  203;  to  Henry  Clay,  205;  to  President  Fillmore,  207. 

CHAPTER  SEVEN. 

THE   DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,    1829-1851. 

Librarian  Meehan,  213;  The  Library  rooms,  1 829-1 85 1 ,  215;  The  consti- 
tution of  the  Library' committee,  222;  Their  bibliographical  plans,  226; 
Ideas  of  Francis  Lieber,  227,  of  Lewis  Cass,  228;  Offer  of  the  Butur- 
lin  library,  229;  Remarks  of  the  North  American  Review,  231;  Sena- 
tor Preston's  report,  239;  Offer  of  the  Durazzo  library,  243;  Americana, 
246;  The  law  department,  248;  The  document  collection,  251;  Inter- 
national exchange,  Alexandre  Vattemare,  254;  Distribution  of  public 
documents,  266;  Character  of  the  library  in  1851,  269. 

CHAPTER  EIGHT. 

DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,    1852-1864. 

The  fire  of  1851,  275;  Question  in  House  regarding  cause  of  fire  and 
repairs,  278;  Official  and  other  opinion  regarding  cause  of  fire  and 
new  fire  proof  structure,  280;  Provision  in  Senate  for  books  and  for 


CONTENTS.  9 

temporar}-  rooms,  285;  Discussed  iu  the  House,  285;  Passed,  286; 
Plans  for  a  new  library'  room,  287;  An  appropriation  of  $72,500,  291; 
A  deficiency  appropriation,  293;  The  room  completed,  298;  Purchase 
of  books,  301 ;  Definition  of  the  bibliographical  policy  of  the  library, 
302;  Collections  and  departments,  1852-1864,  310;  Manuscripts,  312; 
proposition  for  the  calendaring  of  manuscripts  in  British  archives 
relating  to  American  colonies,  314;  Policy  in  regard  to  the  purchas- 
ing of  manuscripts  of  Madison,  Jefferson,  Hamilton,  321;  Of  the  manu- 
script of  Washington's  farewell  address,  326;  Maps,  340;  I^ieutenant 
Hunt's  plan  for  a  geographical  department  of  the  librar}-,  340; 
Newspapers,  346;  Library-  staff  and  agents,  347;  The  Librarj' 
service,  352;  cataloguing,  354;  Professor  Jewett's  experiment,  358; 
Assistant  Librarian  Spof ford's  reforms,  364;  Indexing  of  Congressional 
documents,  368;  Pri\dleges  of  the  library,  373;  Evening  opening 
agitated,  376;  Use  of  the  librarj-,  379;  lyibrarian  Stephenson,  383. 

CHAPTER  NINE. 

OTHER    LIBRARIES    OF    CONGRESS    AND    OF   THE    GOVERNMENT. 

The  House  library,  387;  The  librar}^  rooms,  388;  "Providing  a  library 
for  the  Southern  Confederacy,"  389;  The  investigation,  389;  Sen- 
ate library-  proposed,  392;  Plans  for  the  librarj-,  393;  Relations  of 
the  librar}'  of  Congress  with  other  libraries  of  the  Government  and 
of  the  city,  400. 

CHAPTER  TEN. 

THE  SMITHSONIAN  INSTITUTION  AND  PLANS  FOR  A  NATIONAL  LIBRARY. 

Senator  Choate's  speech  on  national  library,  405;  His  first  amendment  to 
Tappan  bill,  410;  His  second  amendment,  412;  A  new  bill,  414;  Ques- 
tion of  relation  to  National  Institute,  415;  Buchanan's  speech,  415;  In 
the  House  of  Representatives,  Owen  bill  introduced,  417;  Speech  by 
Robert  Dale  Owen,  417;  Reply  by  George  P.  Marsh,  421;  Passage  of 
the  Marsh  amendment  and  triumph  of  the  library  plan,  428;  Plan  of 
organization  of  the  Smithsonian  library,  443;  Librarian  Jewett's 
plans,  431;  The  compromise  resolutions  of  December  11,  1847,  433; 
Early  collections  of  the  Smithsonian  Library,  436; — Bibliographical, 
436;  Publications  of  learned  societies,  438;  Copyright  deposit,  439; 
Bibliographical  undertakings — general  catalogue  of  American  libraries, 
450;  Cooperative  cataloguing,  454;  Other  bibliographical  enterprises — 
Stevens's  Bibliographia  Americana,  etc.,  467;  Defeat  of  the  library 
plan;  Librarian  Jewett's  reports  upon  a  national  library,  473;  Reso- 
lutions of  the  library  convention,  482;  North  American  Review,  483; 
Secretary  Henry's  programme,  486;  Criticised  by  Professor  Jewett,  487; 


lO  CONTENTS. 

Supported  by  special  committee,  489;  A  minority  report,  490;  Defeat 
of  the  library  plan  and  removal  of  L,ibrarian  Jewett,  496;  Defense  of  the 
policy  of  the  Regents  in  the  Senate,  496;  Criticism  of  it  in  the  House, 
499;  Opinions  of  the  press,  504. 

APPENDIXES. 

I.   OflScers  of  the  library,  1 802-1 864,  509, 
II.   Members  of  the  library  committee,  509. 

III.  Number  of  volumes  in  the  library,  515. 

IV.  Legislative  appropriations  for  the  library,  515. 
V.  Catalogues  of  the  library,  1801-1864,  516. 

VI.  Classification  of  the  library,  521. 


LIST  OF  PLATES 

1.  View  of  the  Capitol  in  1840,  showing  the  L,ibrary  in  the  center. 

From  Nathaniel  P.  Willis  American  scenery.     Drawings  by 
W.  H.  Bartlett,  vol.  i,  title-page Frontispiece 

Opposite 
page 

2.  Elbridge    Gerry.     From    an   engraving    by    Koevoets   after   a 

drawing  by  Vanderlyn 18 

3.  Plan  of  principal  story  of  Capitol  in  1800.     From  Glenn  Brown. 

History  of  the  United  States  Capitol  (1900),  vol.  I,  plate  36.     .     34 

4.  Facsimile  of  Catalogue  of  1802,  showing  early  method  of  classi- 

fication  38 

5.  Plan  of  the  principal  story  of  the  Capitol,  1806.     From  original 

in  the  Library  of  Congress 42 

6.  Thomas  Jefferson.     From    a   lithograph  after  a  painting    for 

Messrs.   Doggett,  by  Gilbert  Stuart 68 

7.  George  Watterston.     From  a  water  color  in  the  custody  of  the 

Library  of  Congress 108 

8.  Plan  of  attic  story  of  north  wing  of  Capitol,  1817,  showing  loca- 

tion of  apartments  for  the  temporary  accommodation  of  the 
Library,     From  original  in  the  Library  of  Congress.    .     .     .126 

9.  West  front  of  the  Capitol,  showing  Library  in  center.     From  a 

drawing   by  C.   Bulfinch   in   Force's  National   calendar  for 
1821,  front 130 

10.  Plan   of   the   principal   floor   of    the    Capitol.      From    Robert 

Mills's  Guide  to  the  Capitol,  1847-48,  p.  12 130 

11.  Facsimile  of  Jefferson's  scheme  of   classification.     From    the 

catalogue  of  the  Library,  18 15,  p.  vi-vii 146 

12.  Facsimile  of  letter  from  Edward  Everett  to  Librarian  Watters- 

ton, October  31,  1826 164 

13.  Facsimile  of  record  book  showing  charging  system  in  use.     .    182 

14.  Commission  appointing  John  Silva  Meehan  Librarian  of  Con- 

gress  196 

15.  John  Silva  Meehan.     From  a  daguerreotype  in  the  possession 

of  Miss  Laura  G.  Meehan 214 

16.  Library  of  Congress,  as  rebuilt  after  the  fire  of  1851.     Thomas 

U.  Walter,  architect.     After  water  color  in  the  Library   of 

Congress 216 

II 


12  LIST  OF   PLATES 

'  Opposite 
page 

17.  Bookplates  of  the  Library 238 

18.  Portrait  of  Alexandre  Vattemare.     From  a  drawing  by  William 

Walcutt  in  the  possession  of  the  New  York  Public  Library.    .   254 

19.  Detail  of  iron  work  in  Library-.     From  Glenn  Brown.     History 

of  the  Capitol,  vol.  2,  plate  253 ....   288 

20.  Entrance    to    Congressional    Library.      From    Glenn    Brown. 

History  of  the  Capitol,  vol.  i,  plate  104 294 

21.  Drawing  of  console  in  Library.     From  Glenn  Brown.     History 

of  the  Capitol,  vol.  2,  plate  210 300 

22.  Library  stamps  and  book  labels 338 

23.  Facsimile  of  the  Library  of  Congress  Catalogue  of  1849  and  the 

Catalogue  of  1854  prepared  upon  Professor  Jewett's  plan.      .   360 

24.  Library   of   Congress.     Interior,    1856.     From   United  States 

Magazine,  vol.   3,  p.    106 380 

25.  Rufus  Choate.     From  an  engraving  by   H.   B.    Hall  after  a 

photograph  by  South  worth  &  Hawes 404 

26.  George  P.  Marsh.     From  a  portrait  by  G.  P.  A.  Healy  in  the 

possession  of  Dartmouth  College 422 

27.  Charles  C.  Jewett.      From  a  photograph  in  possession  of   his 

daughter,  Mrs.  Charles  W,  Allen 448 

28.  Henry  Stevens.     From    his   Recollections   of    James    Lenox, 

front 470 

29.  Table  showing  classification  of  the  Library 522 


i8oo — Apr. 

24. 

1802 — ^Jan. 

26. 

29. 

1807 — Nov. 

7- 

18 1 2 — Mar. 

2. 

1 8 14 — Aug. 

24. 

Sept. 

21. 

18 1 5 — Mar. 

21. 

1 81 6— Apr. 

16. 

1824 

1825 — Dec. 

22. 

1829 — May 

28. 

1830— Jan. 

13- 

1832— July 

14. 

1840— July 

20. 

1846 — Aug. 

10. 

1 85 1— Dec. 

24. 

1 86 1 — May 

24. 

1864— Dec. 

31- 

CHRONOLOGICAL  TABLE 

Act  establishing  the  Library. 

Act  organizing  the  Library. 

John  Beckley  appointed  Librarian. 

Patrick  Magruder  appointed  Librarian. 

Privileges  of  the  Library  extended  to  Justices  of  the 
Supreme  Court. 

Destruction  of  the  Library  by  British  troops. 

Jefferson  library  offered  to  Congress;  purchased  Janu- 
ary 30,  1815. 

George  Watterstou  appointed  Librarian. 

Privileges  of  the  Library  extended  to  diplomatic  corps. 

Completion  of  Library-  room  in  the  west  center  of  the 
Capitol. 

The  second  fire. 

John  Silva  Meehan  appointed  Librarian. 

Privileges  of  the  Library  extended  to  heads  of  Depart- 
ments. 

Law  Library  established. 

Resolution  authorizing  international  exchange. 

Establishment  of  a  national  library  on  the  Smithsonian 
foundation. 

Fire  destroying  about  35,000  volumes. 

John  G.  Stephenson  appointed  Librarian. 

Ainsworth  Rand  Spofford  appointed  Librarian. 

13 


CONDITIONS  BEFORE  THE  YEAR   1800 


15 


Chapter  One. 
conditions  before  the  year  1800. 

Before  the  establisliment  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  April 
24,  1800,  the  Houses  of  Congress  had  used  the  libraries  of 
New  York  and  Philadelphia. 

At  the  opening  of  the  sessions  of  the  Continental  Congress 
in  Philadelphia,  September  6,  1774,  an  extract  was  read  from 
the  minutes  of  the  directors  of  the  Library  Company  of  Phil- 
adelphia, dated  August  31,  1774,  ordering,  "That  the  Library 
furnish  the  Gentlemen,  who  are  to  meet  in  Congress,  with 
the  Use  of  such  Books  as  they  may  have  Occasion  for,  during 
their  Sitting,  taking  a  Receipt  for  them.  Signed  by  Order 
of  the  Directors,  William  Attmore,  Secretary;"  and  it  was 
ordered  that  the  thanks  of  the  Congress  be  returned  to  the 
Directors  of  the  Library  Company  of  Philadelphia  for  their 
obliging  order.  ^ 

The  sessions  of  the  First  Congress  of  the  United  States 
were  held  in  the  city  hall  in  New  York  City,  and  the  City 
Library,  or  New  York  Society  Librar}^,  as  it  was  officially 
known,  at  that  time  deposited  in  the  city  hall,  was  used  by 
Congress.^  After  the  removal  of  Congress  to  Philadelphia 
the  directors  of  the  Library  Company  of  Philadelphia  ten- 
dered to  the  President  and  Congress  the  free  use  of  the  books 
in  their  library  in  as  full  and  ample  a  manner  as  if  the}^  were 
members  of  the  company;  and  President  Washington,  through 
his  secretary,  Tobias  Lear,  returned  thanks  for  the  attention 
in  the  following  note:^ 

Thursday, /«;?.  20,  1791. 
Sir:  In  obedience  to  the  commands  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States  I  have  the  honor  to  communicate  to  you,  to  be  presented  to  the 

'  Annals  of  Congress,  i :  10. 

*  Catalogue  of  the  New  York  Society  Library,  New  York,  1850,  Int. 

3  J.  T.  vScharf  and  T.  Westcott,  "History  of  Philadelphia,"  v.  2,  ii8r. 

23399—04 2  17 


1 8  CONDITIONS   BEFORE   THE   YEAR    1800. 

directors  of  the  I^ibrary  Company  of  Philadelphia,  his  best  thanks  for 
the  polite  manner  in  which  they  have  offered  him  the  use  of  the  books 
in  the  Library,  and  he  begs  that  they  will  be  assured  that  this  mark  of 
attention  has  made  a  proper  impression  on  him. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  sir, 

Tobias  Lear, 
Secretary  to  the  President  of  the  U^iited  States. 
William  Rawle,  Esq., 

Secretary  to  the  Directors  of  the  Library  Compaiiy  of  Philadelphia. 

There  were  some,  however,  who  felt  that  Congress  should 
possess  a  library  of  its  own,  who  recognized  that  a  demo- 
cratic assembly  representative  of  popular  opinion  should  be 
informed  of  the  condition  and  progress  of  popular  opinion, 
and  that  as  a  means  to  that  end  the  books,  the  pamphlets, 
and  the  journals  of  the  day  should  be  collected  and  rendered 
accessible  to  every  member  of  Congress.  The  most  earnest 
advocate  of  these  views  and  the  author  of  the  first  measure  to 
establish  a  library  for  Congress  was  Klbridge  Gerry,  Repre- 
sentative from  Massachusetts.' 

On  Thursday,  the  6th  of  August,  1789,  Representative 
Gerry  presented  a  motion  that  a  committee  be  appointed  to 
report  a  catalogue  of  books  necessary  for  the  use  of  Congress, 
with  an  estimate  of  the  expense,  and  the  best  mode  of  pro- 
curing them,^  and,  on  April  30,  1790,  was  appointed  with 
Messrs.  Burke,  of  South  Carolina,  and  White,  of  Virginia,  to 
form  that  committee.^  On  the  23d  of  June,  Mr.  Gerry,  on 
behalf  of  the  committee,  submitted  the  following  report: 

That,  as  far  as  the  nature  of  the  case  will  admit,  they  have  in  the 
schedule  annexed  complied  with  the  order  of  the  House,  having  due 
regard  to  the  state  of  the  Treasury.  That  the  committee  have  confined 
themselves  in  great  measure  to  books  necessary  for  the  use  of  the  leg- 
islative and  executive  departments,  and  not  often  to  be  found  in  private 
or  in  circulating  libraries.  That,  nevertheless,  without  further  provi- 
sion of  books  on  laws  and  government,  to  which  reference  is  often  nec- 

'The  life  of  Gerry,  by  James  T.  Austin  (Boston,  1828-29,  2  v.),  and  the  letters  of 
Gerry,  1784-1804,  edited  by  W.  C.  Ford  (printed  in  the  New  England  Historic  and 
Genealogical  Register,  vol.  49,  pp.  430-441,  October,  1895,  and  vol.  50,  pp.  21-30, 
January,  1896,  reprinted  by  the  Historical  Printing  Club,  Brooklyn,  1S96),  contain 
nothing  illustrating  this  episode,  nor  has  his  grandson,  Elbridge  T.  Gerry,  of  New- 
port, any  papers  or  data  casting  light  upon  it. 

=  Annals  i:  679.  3 Annals  2:  1550. 


History  of  the  l,ilir;iry  nf  Coiifrrcss,   vol.   i,   plato  2. 


gerry's  plan  for  a  library.  19 

essary,  members  of  the  legislature  and  other  offices  of  the  Government 
may  be  either  deprived  of  the  use  of  such  books  when  necessary,  or  be 
obliged  at  every  session  to  transport  to  the  seat  of  the  General  Govern- 
ment a  considerable  part  of  their  libraries,  it  seldom  happening  that  they 
can  otherwise  command  such  books  when  requisite,  without  trespassing 
too  much  on  the  indulgence  of  their  friends.  The  committee  are  therefore 
of  the  opinion  that  a  sum,  not  exceeding  1,000  dollars,  be  appropriated  in 
the  present  session,  and  that  the  sum  of  500  dollars  be  hereafter  annually 
appropriated  to  the  purchase  of  books  for  a  public  library,  and  be  applied 
to  the  purpose  by  the  Vice-President,  Chief  Justice,  and  Secretary  of 
State  of  the  United  States,  without  conjfining  them  to  the  catalogue 
reported,  until,  in  the  opinion  of  Congress,  the  books  provided  shall  be 
adequate  to  the  purpose. 

The  books  reported  were  of  the  following  description,  viz:  Laws  of 
the  several  States,  laws  relating  to  the  trade  and  navigation  of  the  sev- 
eral nations  of  Europe  with  whom  the  United  States  may  have  treaties, 
laws  of  Ireland  and  Scotland,  laws  of  Canada,  British  statutes  at  large, 
militia  system  of  Switzerland,  the  Russian  and  Frederician  codes,  sun- 
dry authors  on  the  laws  of  nature  and  nations,  sundry  authors  on  the 
privilege  and  duties  of  diplomatic  bodies,  a  collection  of  treaties  and 
alliances  from  the  earliest  periods,  a  collection  of  parliamentary  books, 
sundry  books  on  the  civil  and  common  law,  etc. ,  etc. ' 

This  report  was  laid  on  the  table/  and  no  further  attempt 
was  made  to  revive  the  plan  or  devise  other  plans  for  a 
library  for  Congress  until  a  permanent  seat  of  Government 
had  been  selected  and  the  Houses  of  Congress  removed  to 
Washington. 

Without  pursuing  any  definite  bibliographical  programme, 
however,  the  two  Houses  of  Congress  did  acquire,  before  their 
removal  to  Washington  or  immediately  after,  as  shown  by 
the  catalogue  of  1802,^  45  folio  volumes,  68  quartos,  and  130 
octavos;  that  is,  243  volumes  in  all.  Among  these  were  the 
Bibliotheca  Americana,  21  volumes  of  the  Statutes  at  Large, 
18  volumes  of  the  Journals  of  the  House  of  Commons,  Hat- 
sell's  Precedents;  Luders,  Heyw^ood,  and  Fraser  on  elections; 

'  Gazette  of  the  United  States,  New  York,  June  26,  1790.  ^Annals  2:  1647. 

^ There,  under  the  caption  "additional  from  the  respective  library  of  the  Senate 
and  the  House  of  Representatives,"  are  set  down  the  names  of  such  books  as  were 
acquired  for  the  two  Houses  of  Congress,  before  and  immediately  after  the  removal 
to  Washington.  The  act  of  January  26,  1S02,  provided  that  these  books  or  libraries, 
heretofore  kept  separately  by  each  House,  should  be  placed  in  the  newlj'  constituted 
l/ibrary  of  Congress,  with  the  books  purchased  under  the  act  of  April  24,  1800. 


20  CONDITIONS   BEFORE  THE   YEAR    1800. 

14  volumes  of  the  State  Trials,  together  with  Hogan's  State 
Trials;  Dallas's  and  Robinson's  Reports;  Blackstone/  Reeves, 
and  Wooddeson  on  Bnglish  Law;  John  Adams's  Defense  of 
the  American  Constitution,  Swift's  system  of  laws  of  Con- 
necticut, Cooke's  Bankrupt  laws,  Chalmers's  collection  of 
treaties,  Vattel's  law  of  nations,  and  Staunton's  Embassy  to 
China.  Among  books  of  reference  were  36  volumes  of  the 
Kncyclopaedia,  Chambers's  and  Mortimer's  Dictionaries. 
Among  geographical  works:  Paine's  and  Morse's  geographies, 
Guthrie's  geography  and  atlas,  the  Maritime  Atlas  in  5 
volumes,  the  Gazetteer  of  France,  Wendebom's  View  of 
England,  Moreau  de  St.  Mery's  St.  Domingo,  and  the  col- 
lection of  voyages  known  as  the  World  Displayed.  Among 
historical  works:  Hume's  History  of  England,  Hazard's  Col- 
lections for  American  History,  Belknap's  American  Biog- 
raphy, Belknap's  History  of  New  Hampshire,  and  Ramsay's 
History  of  South  Carolina.  Among  works  on  economics: 
Anderson's  Commerce,  Sheffield  and  Coxe  on  American  Com- 
merce, Necker's  Finances  of  France,  Millar  on  Insurance, 
and  Varlo's  Husbandry.  Among  periodicals:  The  New 
Annual  Register,  the  American  Museum,  and  the  Monthly 
Review.  Other  works  were  Thomas  Paine's  Miscellanies, 
Rush  on  Yellow  Fever,  and  Burns's  Poems. 

'  March  10,  1794,  the  Senate  ordered,  That  the  Secretary  purchase  Blackstone's 
Commentaries  and  Vattel's  I^aw  of  Natvire  and  Nations,  for  the  use  of  the  Senate. 


ESTABLISHMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1800-1805 


21 


Chapter  Two. 
establishment  of  the  library,  1800-1805. 

With  tlie  removal  of  the  capital  to  Washington,  a  Congres- 
sional library,  which  had  hitherto  been  merely  desirable, 
became  a  necessity.  So  on  motion  of  Samuel  Livermore,  a 
graduate  of  Princeton,  then  Senator  for  New  Hampshire,  a 
fifth  section  was  added  to  the  "Act  to  make  provision  for  the 
removal  and  accommodation  of  the  Government  of  the  United 
States,"  approved  April  24,  1800.     This  read  as  follows: 

Aftd  be  it  further  enacted^  That  for  the  purchase  of  such  books  as  may 
be  necessar)^  for  the  use  of  Congress  at  the  said  city  of  Washington,  and 
for  fitting  up  a  suitable  apartment  for  containing  them  and  for  placing 
them  therein  the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars  shall  be,  and  hereby  is, 
appropriated;  and  that  the  said  purchase  shall  be  made  by  the  Secretary 
of  the  Senate  and  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  ptu"suant  to 
such  directions  as  shall  be  given,  and  such  catalogue  as  shall  be  fur- 
nished by  a  joint  committee  of  both  Houses  of  Congress  to  be  appointed 
for  that  purpose;  and  that  the  said  books  shall  be  placed  in  one  suitable 
apartment  in  the  Capitol  in  the  said  city,  for  the  use  of  both  Houses  of 
Congress  and  the  members  thereof,  according  to  such  regulations  as  the 
committee  aforesaid  shall  devise  and  establish.' 

On  the  next  day,  in  order  to  carry  the  provisions  of  this 
law  into  execution,  Mr.  Dennis  moved  in  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives the  following  resolution :  "./?^Wz'^</,  That be 

a  committee,  jointly  Avith  such  committee  as  may  be  appointed 
on  the  part  of  the  Senate,  for  the  purpose  of  making  out  a 
catalogue  of  books  and  adopting  the  best  mode  of  procuring 
a  library  at  the  city  of  Washington ;  and  for  adopting  a  sys- 
tem of  rules  and  regulations  relative  thereto ; "  which  motion 
was  agreed  to,  and  Robert  Wain,  of  Pennsylvania,  Thomas 
Bvans  and  Leven  Powell,  both  of  Virginia,  appointed  mem- 
bers of  the  committee  on  the  part  of  the  House, ^  and  on 
Monday,  April  28,  the  Senate  having  adopted  the  resolution, 

'  Annals  lo:    1494.  ■'  Annals  10:   168,  684. 

23 


24  ESTABLISHMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  180O-1805. 

Samuel  Dexter,  of  Massachusetts,  William  Bingham,  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  William  Cary  Nicholas,  of  Virginia,  were 
appointed  members  of  the  committee  on  the  part  of  the 
Senate. 

The  chairman  of  this  joint  committee,  and  the  only  mem- 
ber thereof  who  has  left  behind  him  any  trace  of  a  fondness 
for  or  an  acquaintance  with  books,"  was  Samuel  Dexter, 
a  graduate  of  Harvard,  and  a  lawyer  of  some  eminence. 
Under  his  direction  the  measures  recommended  by  the  law 
of  1800  were  carried  into  execution,  and  the  nucleus  of  the 
new  librar}^  ordered  from  the  London  booksellers  Cadell  & 
Davies.  The  following  letter  to  Messrs.  W.  Bingham  and 
Robert  Wain,  dated  London,  December  11,  1800,  with  bill 
for  ;!f489  7s.,  list  of  books  sent,  and  books  to  the  number 
of  740  were  received  in  response  and  forwarded  to  the  new 
metropolis  in  the  trunks  in  which  they  had  been  imported: 

Gentlemen:  We  were  favored  with  your  joint  letter  of  June  20, 
inclosing  a  list  of  books  for  the  intended  library  at  Washington,  and  we 
instantly  set  about  executing  the  order  in  the  best  manner  we  were  able. 

Inclosed  we  transmit  you  the  invoice  and  bill  of  lading,  and  we  ear- 
nestly hope  the  books  will  arrive  perfectly  safe,  great  care  having  been 
taken  in  packing  them.  We  judged  it  best  to  send  trunks  rather  than 
boxes,  which  after  their  arrival  would  have  been  of  little  or  no  value. 

Several  of  the  books  sent  were  only  to  be  procured  second-handed,  and 
some  of  them,  from  their  extreme  scarcity,  at  very  advanced  prices. 

We  have  in  all  cases  sent  the  best  copies  we  could  obtain  and  charged 
the  lowest  prices  possible.  We  annex  a  list  of  a  few  articles  that  we 
have  not  been  able  to  procure,  but,  as  we  firmly  trust  that  the  execution 
of  the  present  order  will  meet  your  approbation,  and  that,  in  that  case, 
we  may  hope  to  be  favored  with  your  further  commands,  we  shall  con- 
tinue our  search  for  these  articles  and  send  them  out  with  the  next 
parcel.^     *     *     * 

When  this  letter  had  been  received  Samuel  Otis,  Secretary 
of  the  Senate,  wrote  to  President  Jefferson: 

Washington,  May  2,  1801. 
Sir:  I  do  myself  the  honor  to   inclose  you  a  copy  of  the  invoice  of 
books  for  the  public  library.     The  package  being  perfectly  dry,  I  shall 

^  Harper" s  Magazine  i^d:  41. 

'List  of  books  purcliased  by  Cadell  &  Davies  for  the  Library  of  Congress,  in  a 
volume  in  the  Library  of  Congress,  lettered  "State  Papers,  i8oi,  Decern.,  1802,  Jan." 


INTEREST   IN   PHILADELPHIA    IN   NEW   LIBRARY.  25 

omit  opening  tliem  until  further  orders.  Whenever  they  are  opened 
some  person  should  be  made  answerable  for  them  or  in  my  opinion  the 
volumes  will  be  immediately  dispersed  and  lost.'     *     *     * 

On  the  lotli  of  May  William  Duane,  editor  of  the  Aurora^ 
wrote  from  Philadelphia  to  Madison,  Secretary  of  State:  "Per- 
mit me  also  to  suggest  that  as  provision  has  been  made  for 
furnishing  a  library  for  the  use  of  Congress,  I  should  be  glad 
to  undertake  the  provision  of  such  books  as  may  be  required, 
and  as  I  have  had  some  experience,  having  resided  in  Bngland 
for  five  years,  and  am  acquainted  not  only  with  the  first  book- 
sellers but  numbers  of  the  first  literary  characters  in  that 
country,  I  could  undertake  the  importation  of  the  books  for 
the  public  library  under  advantages  that  few  others  possess."" 

And  on  the  8th  of  December,  1801,  the  petition  of  John 
McDonald,  recently  a  broker  and  keeper  of  a  circulating 
library  at  14  South  Fourth  street,  Philadelphia,  was  presented 
to  the  House  of  Representatives  and  read,  praying  that  he 
might  be  employed  to  superintend  the  arrangement  and  safe- 
keeping of  the  books  intended  for  the  Library  of  the  two 
Houses  of  Congress;  and  that  he  might  receive  such  com- 
pensation for  his  services,  in  that  capacity,  as  to  the  wisdom 
of  Congress  should  seem  meet.  Referred  to  the  Joint  Com- 
mittee on  the  Library  of  Congress,^  Before  professional 
assistance  could  be  engaged  in  the  development  and  custody 
of  the  Library,  however,  an  act  of  organization  was  necessary. 

On  the  first  day  of  the  next  session  of  Congress,  Monday, 
December  7,  1801,  President  Jefferson,  who  was  from  its  incep- 
tion an  ardent  friend  of  the  Library,  called  upon  Mr.  Otis, 
the  Secretary  of  the  Senate,  to  make  a  statement  respecting 
the  books  purchased.  This  showed  that  $2,200  of  the  $5,000 
appropriated  had  been  expended,  for  which  there  had  been 
received  740  volumes.  On  the  same  day,  accordingly,  the 
Senate  passed  the  following  resolution:  "That  a  committee 
be  appointed  to  join  such  gentlemen  as  shall  be  appointed 
by  the  House  of  Representatives  to  take  into  consideration 
a  statement  made  this  day  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate, 

'Jefferson  Papers,  series  2,  vol.  64,  No.  32. 
*  Madison  MSS.,  Library  of  Congress. 
3Annals  11:  312. 


26  ESTABLISHMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1800-1805. 

respecting  books  and  maps  purchased  in  consequence  of  an 
act  of  Congress  passed  tlie  24tli  of  April,  1800,  and  to  make 
a  report  of  their  opinion  respecting  the  future  arrangement 
of  said  books  and  maps;  and  that  Messrs.  Tracy  and  Nicholas 
be  the  committee  on  the  part  of  the  Senate."  And  a  message 
from  the  Senate  having  informed  the  House  of  the  passage  of 
this  resolution,  the  House  appointed  a  committee  on  their 
part,  to  consist  of  Messrs.  Nicholson,  Bayard,  and  Randolph. 

REPORT    OF   COMMITTEE   ON    LIBRARY   ORGANIZATION. 

The  chairman  of  the  new  joint  committee  was  Senator 
Nicholas,  of  Virginia.  Of  his  associates.  Senator  Uriah 
Tracy  was  from  Connecticut  and  a  graduate  of  Yale,  Repre- 
sentative James  A.  Bayard,  from  Delaware  and  a  graduate  of 
Princeton,  Representative  Joseph  Hopper  Nicholson,  from 
Maryland,  and  representative  John  Randolph,  from  Virginia. 
This  committee  reported  on  the  following  week  through  Senator 
Tracy  (December  18)  and  Representative  Randolph  (Decem- 
ber 21).  The  author  of  their  report  was  John  Randolph,  of 
Roanoke,  author  also  of  the  phrase  "  a  good  library  is  a  states- 
man's workshop."'  He  was  one  of  the  earliest  friends  and 
supporters  of  the  Library,  always  took  pains  to  secure  liberal 
appropriations  for  it,  had  a  good  deal  to  do  with  the  selection 
of  its  books,  and  now  had  prepared  a  report  which  like 
the  report  of  Representative  Gerry,  June  23,  1790,  is  one 
of  the  most  notable  documents  relating  to  the  early  history  of 
the  Library,  but  unlike  the  former  led  to  legislative  action, 
and  became  the  basis,  after  some  discussion  in  the  House  of 
Representatives,  of  the  act  concerning  the  Library  for  the 

'There  is  a  letter  in  the  Southern  Literary  Messenger,  February,  1854  (vol.  20,  pp. 
76-79),  describing  his  library  at  Roanoke.  Nathan  Sargent  said  that  Randolph 
would  not  have  in  his  possession  an  American  book,  not  even  an  American  Bible. 
(Public  men  and  events,  1817-1S53,  vol.  i,  p.  125.) 

Josiah  Quincy  has  the  follovi'ing  reminiscence:  (Figures  of  the  past,  Boston,  1883, 
p.  214.)  "Randolph  had  recited  to  me  a  certain  passage  from  Burke,  which  I  told 
him  I  did  not  remember  and  asked  where  I  could  find  it.  '  Go  to  the  Congressional 
Library,'  was  Mr.  Randolph's  reply,  'look  in  the  third  alcove,  on  the  right-hand 
side,  third  shelf  from  floor,  fifth  volume  on  the  shelf,  page  336,  about  halfway 
down.'  I  made  a  memorandum  of  the  direction,  went  to  the  Library  and  fouud  the 
passage  exactly  where  he  had  placed  it." 


REPORT   OF   COMMITTEE   ON   ORGANIZATION.  27 

use  of  both  Houses  of  Congress,  approved  January  26,  1802. 
The  report  of  the  committee  drawn  up  by  this  man  and 
leading  to  these  important  consequences  was  as  follows: ' 

That  in  their  opinion  the  following  resolutions  contain  the  proper 
regulations  upon  the  subject  committed  to  them;  they  therefore  present 
them  for  consideration. 

I.  Resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  RepreseJitatives  of  the  United 
States  ofAtnerica  in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  books  and  maps  pur- 
chased by  direction  of  the  act  of  Congress  passed  the  24th  day  of  April, 
1800,  be  placed  in  the  Capitol  in  the  room  which  was  occupied  by  the 
House  of  Representatives  during  the  last  session  of  the  6th  Congress, 
and  that  the  books  shall  be  numbered,  labelled,  and  set  up  in  portable 
cases  with  handles  to  them  for  the  purpose  of  easy  removal,  with  wire 
netting,  doors,  and  locks.  And  that  the  books  or  libraries  which  have 
heretofore  been  kept  separately  by  each  House  shall  be  removed  and  set 
up  with  those  lately  purchased,  and  be  numbered  and  labelled  with  them, 
making  one  library  of  the  whole. 

II.  And  it  is  further  resolved,  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  and  the 
Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives  for  the  time  being  be,  and  they 
are  hereby  authorized  to  take  charge  of  the  room,  books,  and  maps  afore- 
said, and  they  are  hereby  authorized  and  directed  to  make  suitable  arrange- 
ments in  said  room  for  the  library  and  maps,  to  procure  proper  furniture 
for  the  room,  to  procure  the  cases,  number  and  label  the  books,  and  set 
them  up  in  their  places;  to  procure  for  their  own  use  and  the  use  of  both 
Houses  of  Congress  printed  catalogues  of  all  books  with  the  label  number 
of  each  and  of  the  maps,  to  place  on  each  book  some  proper  mark  or 
marks  to  designate  it  as  belonging  to  the  Congressional  I^ibrary;  to  pro- 
cure printed  blank  receipts  for  members  to  sign  them  when  they  take 
books  from  the  room;  and  to  arrange  and  hang  up  the  maps;  all  to  be 
done  under  the  inspection  and  direction  of  the  President  of  the  Senate 
and  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  for  the  time  being. 

III.  And  it  is  further  resolved,  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  and 
the  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives  shall  be  responsible  for  the 
safe-keeping  of  the  room,  furniture,  books,  and  mapsaforesaid,  and  shall 
not  permit  any  map  to  be  taken  out  of  said  room  by  any  person  nor  any 
book  except  by  members  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  for 
the  time  being,  and  no  member  shall  be  permitted  to  take  any  book  out 

•This  is  printed  as  "Report  of  the  joint  committee  appointed  to  take  into  con- 
sideration the  arrangement  of  books  and  maps  belonging  to  Congress,  December 
18,1801.  Printed  by  order  of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,"  6  p.'  8°.  Also 
as  "Report  on  the  Congressional  Library.  Representative  J.  Randolph,  December 
21,  i8or"  in  Annals  of  Congress  12:  1292-1294,  and  in  American  State  Papers,  Miscel- 
laneous, i:  253-254. 


28  ESTABLISHMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  180O-1805. 

of  said  room  until  he  shall  sign  a  receipt  for  the  same,  the  form  of  which 
follows,  viz: 

Received  this  —  day  of of  the  keepers  of  the  Congressional  Library 

(here  the  book  and  its  number  is  to  be  described),  which  I  promise  to 

return  within days  from  this  date  or  forfeit  the  sum  of dollars 

to  be  paid  to  said  keepers  or  either  of  them  or  to  their  successors  or  either 
of  them.     Witness  my  hand. 

IV.  And  it  is  further  resolved.  That  no  member  shall  have  at  any  one 
time  more  than  three  books  out  of  said  Library,  and  a  folio  volume  shall 

be  returned  within  days,  a  quarto  within  days,   an  octavo 

within days,  a  duodecimo  within  days  after  the  date  of  the 

receipt  respectively;  and  in  case  of  such  return  the  receipt  shall  be  can- 
celled, but  in  case  of  forfeiture  the  keepers  shall  immediately  collect  the 
penalty. 

V.  And  it  is  further  resolved ,  That  the  keepers  of  said  Library  shall 
one  of  them  attend  or  shall  cause  some  proper  person  for  whose  conduct 
they  shall  be  responsible,  to  attend  in  said  room  from  the  hour  of  eleven 
in  the  morning  until  three  in  the  afternoon  of  each  day,  Sundaj^s  excepted, 
during  each  session  of  Congress,  for  the  purpose  of  delivering  and  receiv- 
ing said  books;  and  the  keepers  of  said  Library  shall  receive  for  their 
services,  including  the  safe-keeping  of  the  room,  furniture,  books,  and 
maps,  delivering  and  receiving  the  books  and  collecting  the  forfeitures 

dollars  annually,  to  be  paid  out  of  the  fund  annually  appropriated 

for  the  contingent  expenses  of  both  Houses  of  Congress. 

VI.  And  it  is  further  resolved,  That  the  keepers  of  said  Library  shall 
at  the  commencement  of  every  session  of  Congress  exhibit  a  statement 
to  each  House  of  the  condition  of  said  room,  furniture,  books,  and  maps, 
with  information  of  the  sum  of  forfeitures,  if  any,  which  they  have 
collected,  and  of  the  necessary  expenses  for  fuel,  etc.,  in  said  room 
during  the  period  next  preceding  each  statement  which  then  remains 
unsettled,  that  their  accounts  may  be  liquidated  and  approved  by  Con- 
gress, and  the  balance  shall  be  paid  out  of  the  fund  appopriated  for  the 
contingent  expenses  of  both  Houses  of  Congress. 

VII.  And  it  is  further  resolved,  That  the  keepers  of  said  Library  shall 
cause  a  printed  copy  of  the  third,  fourth,  and  fifth  of  the  foregoing  reso- 
lutions to  be  pasted  up  in  some  conspicuous  place  in  said  room,  which 
shall  be  there  at  all  times  for  the  information  of  the  members;  and  the 
committee  further  report  for  the  consideration  of  Congress  the  following 
resolutions: 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  be,  and  he  is  hereby, 
directed  to  make  sale  of  the  trunks  in  which  the  books  lately  purchased 
were  imported;  that  he  exhibit  to  both  Houses  of  Congress  an  account 
of  the  proceeds,  including  a  statement  of  the  actual  expenditures  incurred 
under  the  act  of  the  24th  of  April,  1800,  as  well  by  the  purchase  of 
books  and  maps  and  incidental  expenses  as  for  the  expense  of  fitting  up 


LEGISLATIVE  DEBATE  UPON  THE  REPORT.  29 

the  room,  procuring  furniture,  cases,  etc.,  as  mentioned  in  the  second  of 
the  foregoing  resolutions,  and  the  residue  of  the  $5,000  appropriated  by- 
said  act  shall  be  laid  out  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  and  the  Clerk  of 
the  House  of  Representatives  for  books  and  maps,  or  books  alone,  under 
the  direction  of  the  joint  committee  to  be  appointed  for  that  purpose,  to 

consist  of members  from  the  Senate  and members  from  the 

House  of  Representatives. 

Resolved,  That  Congress  will  by  law  annually  appropriate  the  sum  of 

dollars,  to  be  laid  out  for  books  and  maps,  or  books  alone,  by  the 

Secretary  of  the  Senate  and  the  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives, 
under  the  direction  of  the  joint  committee  to  be  appointed  by  them  for 
that  purpose.' 

HOUSE   DEBATE   UPON  THE  REPORT. 

This  report  gave  rise  to  considerable  debate  in  both  Houses 
of  Congress,  the  Senate  desiring  to  establish  a  library  for 
Congress  alone,  supported  by  liberal  annual  appropriations 
and  under  executive  control,  the  House  desiring  to  extend  the 
use  of  the  Library  to  other  departments  of  the  Government, 
but  wishing  to  minimize  expenditure  for  books  and  to  keep 
the  Library  from  becoming  an  executive  department  or  bureau. 
On  Monday,  December  21,  the  bill  was  brought  up  for  con- 
sideration in  the  Senate  and  adopted  with  amendments  pro- 
viding for  an  annual  appropriation  and  the  appointment  of  a 
librarian  b}^  the  President  of  the  United  States.^  On  the  23d  it 
was  debated  in  Committee  of  the  Whole  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, and  amended  so  as  to  give  the  right  of  taking  books 
from  the  Congressional  Librar}-  to  the  Attorne^^-General,  the 
judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  while  that  court  was  in  session, 
and  to  foreign  ministers.  The  appropriation  clause  occa- 
sioned more  debate.  Rev.  John  Bacon,  of  Massachusetts,  was 
in  favor  of  $10,000  annual  appropriation  for  the  Library,  hold- 
ing that  it  was  a  moderate  and  a  necessary'  sum.  He  had  not 
made  a  calculation,  he  said,  but  he  believed  the  House 
expended  as  much  in  deliberating  as  the  sum  about  which 
they  were  contending  would  amount  to.  Mr.  James  A.  Bay- 
ard, of  Delaware,  advocated  the  annual  appropriation  of  $1,000 
for  ten  years.  But  the  Republicans  opposed  any  considerable 
appropriation  for  what  would   evidently  become    a  national 

'  State  Papers,  Miscellaneous,  i :  253-254,  '  Annals  11:  19. 


30  ESTABLISHMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1800-1805. 

librarj^,  Mr.  Randolph  thinking  it  better,  he  said,  to  save 
money  than  to  spend  it.  Finally  Mr.  Calvin  Goddard,  of 
Connecticut,  spoke  in  favor  of  $1,000  annually,  and  Mr. 
Bbenezer  Blmer,  of  New  Jersey,  against.  So  it  was  resolved 
to  appropriate  $1,000,  but  onl}^  for  one  3^ear.  As  for  the  other 
provisions  of  the  report,  Mr.  Bayard  moved  that  instead  of  the 
Secretar}^  of  the  Senate  and  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Represent- 
atives there  be  a  librarian  appointed  by  the  President,  but 
this  motion  was  lost.'  Then  the  resolutions  as  amended  in 
Committee  of  the  Whole  were  recommitted  to  a  select  committee 
consisting  of  Messrs.  Randolph,  Bayard,  Kustis,  Dana,  and 
Blmer. 

The  aid  of  President  Jefferson  was  now  sought  by  the  Fed- 
eralists and  friends  of  the  Librar}^,  and  through  his  influence 
the  Republicans  were  induced  to  support  a  bill  drawn  up  by 
John  Randolph,  of  the  select  committee  to  whom  the  amended 
Senate  resolutions  had  been  committed  on  the  23d  of  Decem- 
ber.^ On  the  29th  Mr.  Randolph  reported  from  the  commit- 
tee on  the  resolutions  of  the  Senate  a  resolution,  ''That  the 
House  disagree  to  the  said  resolutions;"  in  which  the  House 
concurred.  He  then  reported  a  new  bill,  entitled  "A  bill 
concerning  the  Library  for  the  use  of  both  Houses  of  Con- 
gress," the  provisions  of  which  were  as  follows: 

I.  That  the  Library,  consisting  of  all  the  books  of  the  two  Houses,  be 
kept  in  the  room  last  session  occupied  by  the  House  of  Representatives. 
2  and  3.  That  the  President  of  the  Senate  and  Speaker  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  appoint  a  librarian;  and  that  the  President  and 
Speaker  have  the  superintendence  of  the  Library  subject  to  the  pro- 
visions of  the  act;  the  hbrarian  to  be  allowed  $2  a  day.  4.  No  map  to 
be  taken  out  of  the  Library,  and  the  books  to  be  taken  out  by  the 
President  and  Vice-President  of  the  United  States,  and  the  members  of 
the  two  Houses,  by  the  heads  of  Departments  and  Attorney-General, 
during  the  sitting  of  the  legislature,  and  by  the  judges  of  the  Supreme 
Court  during  its  sittings.^ 

'Annals  11:  349;  National  Intelligencer;  House  Journal. 

"^ Harper's  3Tagazhie  46:  42. 

^  Some  observations  were  made  as  to  the  time  which  the  Library  was  to  remain 
open.  Mr.  Griswold  moved  to  confine  it  to  the  time  of  the  session  of  Congress.  It 
was  carried,  with  an  exception,  moved  by  Mr.  Southard,  in  favor  of  the  judges  of 
the  Supreme  Court,  whose  sessions  did  not  accord  with  those  of  Congress. — Benton's 
Abridgment  of  the  Debates  of  Congress,  2:  578. 


LEGISLATIVE   DEBATE   UPON   THE  REPORT.  3 1 

For  the  last  section,  the  impression  being  that  the  unex- 
pended balance  was  sufficient  for  the  present/  it  was  provided 
simply  that  the  unexpended  balance  of  sums  heretofore  appro- 
priated, viz,  $2,800,  be  applied  to  the  purchase  of  books  under 
the  direction  of  a  joint  committee  of  three  members  of  each 
House.  The  bill  as  thus  drawm  up  differed  from  that  amended 
by  the  Senate  in  providing  for  a  librarian  to  be  appointed 
not  by  the  President  but  by  the  President  of  the  Senate  and 
the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  It  differed 
from  both  the  original  bill  and  that  amended  in  the  Senate 
in  extending  the  use  of  the  Library  to  the  President  and  the 
Vice-President  of  the  United  States,  heads  of  Departments, 
and  as  recommended  in  the  Committee  of  the  Whole  on  the 
23d,  to  the  Attorney-General,  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
and  foreign  ministers. 

This  bill  being  twice  read  was  accordingly  committed  to  a 
committee  of  the  whole,  where  in  the  debate  on  the  use  of  the 
Library  Mr.  Sprigg  moved  to  add  the  judges  of  the  District  of 
Columbia,  and  was  supported  in  argument  by  Mr.  Dennis,  upon 
the  ground  of  the  importance  of  the  causes  which  this  especial 
district  would  represent,  and  the  great  expense  and  extreme 
scarcit}^  of  some  most  valuable  and  necessarj^  law  books.  But 
Mr.  Bayard  objected.  He  could  discover  no  reason  for  distin- 
guishing the  judges  of  the  District  from  others;  but  judges  of 
the  Supreme  Court,  being  far  from  their  libraries,  required  such 
references.  He  hoped  the  Congressional  Library  would  never 
be  subjected  to  the  abuse  to  which  books  used  in  courts  of  jus- 
tice were  too  liable.^  The  motion  was  not  agreed  to.  After  due 
consideration  the  committee  rose  and  reported  their  agreement 
to  the  resolutions  contained  in  the  report,  and  several  amend- 
ments to  the  bill.  But  the  inconsistency  between  a  small 
appropriation  and  an  extended  use  of  the  Library  being  made 
apparent,  Mr.  Randolph  moved  on  the  following  day  (Decem- 
ber 30)  to  strike  out  that  part  which  gave  permission  to  the 
heads  of  Departments,  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  for- 
eign ministers  to  take  out  books,  which  was  agreed  to,^  and  on 

*  National  Intelligencer,  December  30.  'Annals  11:  352. 

^National  Intelligencer,  January  4,  1802;  Annals  11:  353. 


32  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  180O-1805. 

the  31st  of  December,  1801,  the  engrossed  bill  being  read  the 
third  time  was  passed:  ''''Resolved^  That  the  said  bill  do  pass, 
and  that  the  title  be  'An  act  concerning  the  Library  for  the 
use  of  both  Houses  of  Congress.' " ' 

On  the  same  day  (December  31),  a  message  from  the  House 
having  informed  the  Senate  that  the  House  disagreed  to  the 
resolutions  of  the  Senate,  and  had  passed  a  bill  concerning 
the  Library  in  which  they  desired  the  concurrence  of  the  Sen- 
ate, the  bill  was  twice  read  and  referred  to  a  committee 
consisting  of  Messrs.  Tracy,  Logan,  and  Dayton.  On  the 
following  week  Mr.  Tracy,  from  this  committee,  reported* 
certain  amendments,  which  were  read  and  laid  on  the  table, 
but  finally,  on  Monday,  January  11,  taken  up  for  consideration, 
and,  with  further  amendments,  adopted,  and  the  bill  read  the 
third  time  and  passed,  as  amended.^ 

The  difference  between  the  Senate  and  the  House  regard- 
ing the  appointment  of  a  Librarian  by  the  President  and 
regarding  an  annual  appropriation  of  $i,ocx)  was  still  unre- 
solved. After  nearly  a  month's  further  consideration  and 
debate,"  however,  the  bill  was  passed,  the  main  difference 
between  the  original  Randolph  bill  and  this  being  that  the 
latter  provided  for  the  appointment  of  a  Librarian  by  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  the  Senate  having  receded 
from  their  demand  for  an  annual  appropriation,  the  House 
from  their  demand  that  the  Librarian  be  a  Congressional 
employee. 

AN  ACT  Concerning  the  Library  for  the  use  of  both  Houses  of  Congress. 

Be  it  enacted,  &c. ,  That  the  books  and  maps  purchased  by  direction  of 
the  act  of  Congress,  passed  the  twenty- fourth  of  April,  one  thousand 
eight  hundred,  together  with  the  books  or  libraries  which  have  hereto- 
fore been  kept  separately  by  each  House,  shall  be  placed  in  the  Capitol, 

'Annals  11:  354. 

'  U.  S.  Seventh  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  Report.  Report  of  the  committee 
to  whom  was  referred  the  bill,  passed  by  the  House  of  Representatives,  concerning 
the  Library  for  the  use  of  both  Houses  of  Congress.  Printed  by  order  of  the  Senate 
of  the  United  States,  January  7,  1802.     Washington,  1802.     4  pp.     8°. 

3  Annals  11:  42. 

^The  record  of  the  amendments  and  motions  recorded  in  the  journals  of  the  two 
Houses  in  the  course  of  this  debate  is  not  intelligible  because  of  the  loss  of  the  texts 
of  the  bills  amended. 


THE  ACT  OF    1802.  33 

in  the  room  which  was  occupied  by  the  House  of  Representatives,  dur- 
ing the  last  session  of  the  Sixth  Congress. 

Sec.  2.  A7id  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  President  of  the  Senate  and 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  for  the  time  being,  be,  and 
they  hereby  are,  empowered  to  estabHsh  such  regulations  and  restric- 
tions in  relation  to  the  said  library,  as  to  them  shall  seem  proper,  and, 
from  time  to  time,  to  alter  or  amend  the  same:  Provided,  That  no  regula- 
tion shall  be  made  repugnant  to  any  provision  contained  in  this  act. 

Sec.  3.  And  be  it  further  enacted ,  That  a  librarian,  to  be  appointed  by 
the  President  of  the  United  States  solel}',  shall  take  charge  of  the  said 
library;  who,  previous  to  his  entering  upon  the  duties  of  his  office,  shall 
give  bond,  payable  to  the  United  States,  in  such  a  sum,  and  with  such 
security,  as  the  President  of  the  Senate  and  Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  for  the  time  being,  ma)^  deem  sufficient,  for  the  safe 
keeping  of  such  books,  maps,  and  furniture  as  maj^  be  confided  to  his  care, 
and  the  faithful  discharge  of  his  trust,  according  to  such  regulations  as 
may  be,  from  time  to  time,  established  for  the  government  of  the  said 
library;  which  said  bond  shall  be  deposited  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary 
of  the  Senate. 

Sec.  4.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  no  map  shall  be  permitted  to 
be  taken  out  of  the  said  library  by  any  person;  nor  any  book,  except  by 
the  President  and  Vice  President  of  the  United  States,  and  members  of 
the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives,  for  the  time  being. 

Sec.  5.  And  be  it  further  enacted.  That  the  keeper  of  the  said  library 
shall  receive  for  his  services,  a  sum  not  exceeding  two  dollars  per  diem 
for  every  day  of  necessary  attendance;  the  amount  whereof,  together 
with  the  necessar}'  expenses  incident  to  the  said  library,  after  being  ascer- 
tained by  the  President  of  the  Senate  and  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives, for  the  time  being,  shall  be  paid  out  of  the  fund  annually 
appropriated  for  the  contingent  expenses  of  both  Houses  of  Congress. 

Sec.  6.  And  be  it  further  enacted ,  That  the  unexpended  balance  of  the 
sum  of  five  thousand  dollars  appropriated  by  the  act  of  Congress  afore- 
said, for  the  purchase  of  books  and  maps  for  the  use  of  the  two  Houses 
of  Congress,  together  with  such  sums  as  may  hereafter  be  appropriated 
to  the  same  purpose,  shall  be  laid  out  under  the  direction  of  a  joint  com- 
mittee, to  consist  of  three  members  of  the  Senate  and  three  members  of 
the  House  of  Representatives. 

Approved,  January  26,  1802. 

THE    LIBRARY    ROOM    AND    OFFICERS. 

Until  1825  ^^^  question  of  a  room  for  the  Library  was  upper- 
most.    In  1800  only  the  north  wing  of  the  Capitol  was  finished. 
The  east  side  of  this  structure  was  occupied  b}'  the  Senate;  the 
west  side  by  the  House  of  Representatives.     The  books  brought 
23399—04 — 3 


34  ESTABLISHMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  180O-1805. 

by  Congress  from  Pliiladelphia  and  tlie  books  acquired  in  con- 
sequence of  the  act  of  April  24,  1800,  were  placed  in  tbe  office 
of  the  Clerk  of  the  Senate,  a  room  22  by  34  feet,  and  21  feet 
high,  south  of  the  Senate  Chamber.  This  arrangement  was 
preserved  during  the  second  session  of  the  Sixth  Congress 
(November  17,  1800,  to  March  3,  1801). 

During  the  year  1801,  however,  a  temporary  structure  was 
erected  on  the  south  for  the  use  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives. Accordingly  the  room  which  had  hitherto  been  occu- 
pied by  that  body — a  room  86  by  35  feet,  and  36  feet  high, 
lightedby  two  ranges  of  windows  and  furnished  with  galleries — ' 
was,  by  the  act  of  January  26,  1802,  devoted  to  the  use  of  the 
Librar}^,  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  having  been  instructed 
to  sell  the  trunks  in  which  the  books  lately  purchased  had 
been  imported,  these  books  and  maps,  together  with  the  books 
or  libraries  which  had  been  heretofore  collected  by  the  two 
Houses,  were  removed  to  their  new  quarters.  Here  the  library 
remained  until  December,  1805. 

In  accordance  with  the  law  of  January  26,  1802,  providing 
for  the  appointment  of  a  Librarian  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  at  a  salary  not  exceeding  $2  per  diem  for  every 
day  of  necessary  attendance,  President  Jefferson  on  the  29th 
of  January,  1802,  appointed  as  Librarian  his  friend  John 
Beckley,^  a  Virginian,  the  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives. Samuel  Otis,  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate,  the  Federalist 
candidate,  and  John  McDonald,  keeper  of  a  circulating  library 
in  Philadelphia,  were  the  unsuccessful  applicants  for  the  posi- 
tion. Beckley  was  Librarian  of  Congress  during  the  period 
before  its  first  removal  from  the  library  room  (December  2, 
1805).     Before  its  restoration  to  the  library  room  he  died.^ 

'  Report  of  James  Hoban,  Superintendent  of  the  Capitol,  of  the  state  of  that  build- 
ing on  the  i8th  of  November,  1799.  No.  9,  in  "Letter  from  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  transmitting  copies  of  letters  from  the  Commissioners  of  the  city  of  Wash- 
ington, with  sundry  documents,  marked  from  No.  i  to  10,  inclusively,  exhibiting  a 
view  of  the  receipts  and  expenditures  of  all  monies  entrusted  to  them,  and  of  the 
progress  and  state  of  the  business  and  funds  under  their  administration,  from  the 
i8th  of  November,  1798,  to  the  iSth  of  November,  1799,  5th  of  December,  1799,"  in 
State  Papers  1 799-1800. 

"There  is  a  notice  of  Beckley  in  Am-ora,  March  14,  1800,  and  a  biographical  note  in 
the  Virginia  Historical  Society  Collections  n.  s.  9:  64.  sApril  8,  1807. 


PLAN  OF  PRINCIPAL  STORY  OF  CAPITOL  IN  1800. 


History  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  vol.  i,  plate  3. 


THE   OFFICE   OF   LIBRARIAN.  35 

Though  Beckley  was  appointed  Librarian,  the  duties  of  that 
office  seem  to  have  been  performed  by  Josias  Wilson  King, 
engrossing  clerk  in  the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  House 
from  1797  to  December  31,  1805.  This  is  shown  by  the 
following  memorial  from  King  presented  in  the  House  by 
Mr.  Nicholson,  of  Mar3dand,  February  18,  1806:  "That  at 
the  first  session  of  the  Seventh  Congress,  immediately  after 
the  passage  of  the  act  concerning  the  Library  for  the  use  of 
both  Houses  of  Congress,  your  memorialist  was  appointed 
assistant  librarian  to  label,  arrange,  and  take  charge  of  the 
books  of  the  said  Library;  that  the  memorialist  accordingly 
performed  the  said  duty,  and  also  executed  the  trust  reposed 
in  him  as  a  clerk  in  the  office  of  the  Clerk  to  the  House  at 
the  same  time.  That  the  present  Clerk  of  your  honorable 
body,  who  was  appointed  Librarian  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  agreed  to  divide  equally  the  compensation  with 
your  memorialist  allowed  by  the  said  act,  during  the  time  he 
continued  to  serve  in  the  Library,  but  the  memorialist  has  not 
hitherto  received  the  said  compensation,  as  he  had  a  right  to 
expect,  although  repeated  applications  have  in  vain  been  made 
therefor,  from  the  year  1802  to  the  present  time."  *  *  * 
The  Committee  of  Accounts,  to  whom  the  memorial  was 
referred,  reported  unfavorably,  and  King  was  obliged  to  con- 
tent himself  with  his  salary  as  engrossing  clerk  ($1,000  per 
annum).' 

PRESIDENT  JEFFERSON  AND  THE  PURCHASE  OF  BOOKS,  1802-1805. 

Consequent  upon  the  act  of  January  26,  1802,  a  new  Library 
Committee  had  been  appointed^  consisting  of  Messrs.  Baldwin, 
Clinton,  and  Logan,  on  the  part  of  the  Senate,  and  Messrs. 
Nicholson,  Bayard,  and  Randolph,  on  the  part  of  the  House. 
It  was  their  duty  to  complete  the  task  begun  b}^  the  com- 
mittee appointed  in  April,  1800,  which  had,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Samuel  Dexter,  made  the  first  purchase  of  books  for 
the  Library  of  Congress.  The  chairman  of  the  new  com- 
mittee seems  to  have  been  Abraham  Baldwin,  Senator  from 

'Library  of  Congress  Accession  Book,  1800-1802.     Library  of  Congress  MSS.  ac. : 

484. 

*Inthe  House,  March  5,  1802,  and  in  the  Senate,  March  11, 


36  ESTABLISHMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  180O-1805. 

Georgia  aud  brother-in-law  of  Joel  Barlow,  at  this  time  the 
possessor  of  one  of  the  finest  private  libraries  in  America  and 
projector  of  the  scheme  for  a  national  university.  Senator 
Baldwin  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  College,  had  been  for  four 
years  instructor  in  that  institution,  and  was  considered  one 
of  the  foremost  classical  and  mathematical  scholars  of  the 
age.'  Under  his  direction  the  balance  of  $2,800,  appropriated 
by  the  act  of  1800,  was  expended;  by  what  methods  and  in 
what  manner  the  following  letters  from  President  Jefferson 
to  Abraham  Baldwin  and  the  report  of  the  Treasurer  of  the 
United  States,  January  10,  1806,  published  in  the  report  of 
the  Library  Committee,  January  20,  1806,  will  indicate: 

Jefferson  to  Baldwin,  April  z^,  1802. 

I  have  prepared  a  catalogue  for  the  Library  of  Congress  in  conformity 
with  your  ideas  that  books  of  entertainment  are  not  within  the  scope  of 
it,  and  that  books  in  other  languages,  where  there  are  not  translations 
of  them,  are  not  to  be  admitted  freely.  I  have  confined  the  catalogue  to 
those  branches  of  science  which  belong  to  the  deliberations  of  the  mem- 
bers as  statesmen,  and  in  these  have  omitted  those  classical  books,  ancient 
and  modern,  which  gentlemen  generally  have  in  their  private  libraries, 
but  which  can  not  properly  claim  a  place  in  a  collection  made  merelj^  for 
the  purpose  of  reference.  In  history,  I  have  confined  the  list  to  the  chrono- 
logical works  which  give  facts  and  dates  with  a  minuteness  not  to  be 
found  in  narratives  composed  for  agreeable  reading.  Under  the  law  of 
nature  and  nations,  I  have  put  down  everything  I  know  of  worth  pos- 
sessing, because  this  is  a  branch  of  science  often  under  the  discussion  of 
Congress,  and  the  books  written  in  it  not  to  be  found  in  private  libraries. 
In  law  I  have  set  down  only  general  treatises  for  the  purpose  of  refer- 
ence. The  discussions  under  this  head  in  Congress  are  really  so  minute 
as  to  require  and  admit  that  reports  and  special  treatises  should  be  intro- 
duced. The  parliamentary  section  I  have  imagined  should  be  complete. 
It  is  only  by  having  a  law  of  proceedings  and  by  every  member  having 
the  means  of  understanding  it  for  himself,  and  appealing  to  it,  that  he 
can  be  protected  against  caprice  and  despotism  in  the  Chair.  The  two 
great  encyclopedias  form  a  compleat  supplement  for  the  sciences  omitted 
in  the  present  collection,  should  occasion  happen  to  arrive  for  recurring 
to  them.  I  have  added  a  set  of  dictionaries  in  the  different  languages 
which  may  be  often  wanting.  This  catalogue  combined  with  that  you 
may  approve  in  those  offered  by  others,  will  enable  you  to  form  your 
general  plan  aud  to  select  from  it  every  year,  to  the  amount  of  the  annual 

'There  is  a  sketch  of  his  career,  with  portrait,  in  the  National  Gallery  of  Portraits 
IV:  171. 


JEFFERSON'S   PLAN   FOR  THE  LIBRARY.  37 

fuud,  of  those  most  wanting.  In  estimating  the  amount  of  an  annual 
selection,  folios  may  be  slated  as  costing  1%  guineas,  quarto  a  guinea, 
octavos  8  shillings,  duodecimos  4  shillings,  in  England,  and  in  France 
three-fourths  of  those  prices,  in  neat  but  not  splendid  bindings.' 

This  bibliographical  programme  and  the  accompanying  list 
of  desiderata  undoubtedly  formed  the  basis  of  the  purchases 
for  the  Library  until  1806,  for  Albert  Gallatin  in  his  report 
as  Treasurer,  January,  1806,  speaks  of  an  unexpended  balance 
for  which  the  English  agent,  "Mr.  Brving,  is  accountable  and 
which  it  is  understood  is  to  be  applied  from  time  to  time  in 
the  purchase  of  several  scarce  books,  agreeable  to  a  catalogue 
prepared,  I  believe,  b}^  the  President  of  the  United  States." 

President  Jefferson  again  showed  his  interest  in  the  Library, 
in  the  following  letter  to  Senator  Baldwin,  February  4,  1803: 

Mr.  Dufief ,  a  bookseller  of  Philadelphia,  who  possesses  Doctor  Frank- 
lin's library,  has  inclosed  me  the  catalogue,  with  a  desire  that  I  should  put 
it  into  the  hands  of  the  committee  charged  with  procuring  a  library  for 
Congress,  with  an  offer  of  the  whole  or  any  part  of  it  at  what  he  says 
shall  be  moderate  prices.  M.y  dealings  with  him^  give  me  confidence 
that  his  prices  would  be  moderate.  Without  presuming  on  the  answer 
of  the  committee  to  this  proposition,  I  have  ventured  to  mark  with  a 
pencil  a  few  particular  books,  which  I  imagine  are  worthy  of  their 
acquisition  if  they  are  not  already  in  the  Library.  A  return  of  the 
catalogue  is  asked  when  you  have  made  of  it  the  use  which  you  may 
desire.^ 

The  report"*  from  the  Treasurer  of  the  United  States, 
January  10,  1806,  showed  that  disbursements  on  the  Library 
account  had  been  made  as  follows:  First,  in  payment  of  the 
first  purchase  made  by  Messrs.  Bingham  and  Wain,  $2,174.89 ; 
to  Robert  Gilmor,  for  freight  charges  and  duties,  $296.95; 
second,  on  account  of  subsequent  purchases  directed  to  be 
made  in  London,  viz,  to  Jonathan  Burrall,  for  the  cost  of 
a  bill   of  ;!f220   IIS.   9d.    sterling   remitted   for   that  object 

'  Jeiferson  Papers,  series  i,  vol.  8,  No.  322.  The  accompanying  letter-press  copy 
of  the  catalogue  is  quite  illegible. 

*  There  are  two  series  of  letters  from  Dufief  to  Jefferson  relating  to  the  purchase  of 
books  among  the  Jefferson  Papers,  series  2,  vol.  28,  Nos.  1-34,  and  vol.  31,  Nos.  3-37. 

3  Jefferson  Papers,  series  2,  vol.  7,  No.  I7d. 

*  Printed  in  the  Senate  report,  January  20,  1806,  of  the  "committee  to  whom  was 
referred  the  order  of  the  Senate  of  the  5th  of  December  last,  that  inquiry  be  made 
whether  a  further  appropriation  ought  not  to  be  made  for  the  augmentation  of  the 
Congressional  Library." 


38  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1800-1805. 

to  George  W.  Krving,  consul  at  London,  $1,000;  to  R. 
Purviance,  for  freight  and  duty  on  a  box  of  books  sent  by 
Brving,  $45.24;  third,  on  account  of  a  purchase  directed 
to  be  made  in  Paris,  viz,  to  Jonathan  Burrall,  for  cost  of  a  bill 
of  2,439  guilders  remitted  to  the  bankers  of  the  United  States 
at  Amsterdam,  the  proceeds  to  be  at  the  disposal  of  Robert  R. 
Livingston,  minister  of  the  United  States  at  Paris,  $1,000, 
leaving  in  the  Treasury  an  unexpended  balance  of  $482.92  of 
the  appropriation  of  $5,000.  In  consequence  of  these  orders 
and  disbursements,  four  shipments  of  books  had  been  received, 
three  from  London — the  second  and  third  from  George  W. 
Brving,  consul  at  London,  via  Alexandria  and  Baltimore — and 
one  from  Robert  R.  Livingston,  minister  of  the  United  States 
at  Paris.  A  catalogue  of  the  new  accessions  was  published 
in  1802,  with  supplement  in  1803;  ^^^  ^  ^^^  catalogue  was 
published  in  1804.  Both  of  these  catalogues  were  classified 
by  size — folios,  quartos,  octavos,  and  duodecimos — and  show  the 
number  of  volumes  and  the  estimated  value  of  each. 

A  newspaper  notice  in  the  National  Iniellzgencer^  February 
13,  1804,  indicates  the  place  which  the  Library  had  gained  in 
popular  esteem  during  this  period.     It  says: 

CONGRKSSIONAI,    LIBRARY. 

This  collection  already  embraces  near  1,500  volumes  of  the  most  rare 
and  valuable  works  in  different  languages.  We  observe  with  pleasure 
that  authors  and  editors  of  books,  maps,  and  charts  begin  to  find  that, 
by  placing  a  copy  of  their  works  on  the  shelves  of  this  institution  they 
do  more  to  diffuse  a  knowledge  of  them  than  is  generall}'^  accomplished 
by  catalogues  and  advertisements. 


CATALOGUE. 


N^. 


FOLIO'S. 


No.  of 

Vols. 


Value,  as  near  as 
can  be  estimated. 


48 
53 
SS 
61 
62 

63 

e-t 

65 
66 


1G8 
18G 
200 
£01 
202 
206 
207 
212 


5 

9 

13 

19 

21 
23 
23 


Biographia  Britannica,      .      «     -     - 
Code's  Travels  in  Switzerland,     -    - 
State  Trials,      -....-- 
Atlas  to  Crutwell's  Gazetteer,    -     - 
Atlas  to  Guthrie's  System  of  Geogra- 

ph\', 

American  Atlas,   -.«•»«- 
Plates  to  Cook's  third  Voyage,  «    - 
Plates   to    Macartney's  Ejjabaasy  to 

China,     -•---.-.-- 
Journals:  of  the  Lords  and  Commons, 

with  the  rolls  and  reports  complete, 

AdJitionulfrum  the  respective  Library 
of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Represen- 
tatives. 

Journal  -,  House  Commons,      -     -     - 
State  Trials,     -------^ 

Coke  upon  Littleton,     »     -     -     -     » 
Mortimer's  Dictionary-,  .     -     -     -     - 

Chambers'  Dictionary,       .      =,     .     . 
Index  to  Chamticrs'  Dictionary, 

Maritime  Atlas, 

Atlas  to  Guthrie's  Geography,     -     - 

QUARTO'S. 

Smith's  Thucydidcs,      -     .     .     .     . 

Hiuiipt<  r.s'  Polvbiub, 

Spellman's  Dionysius^     .     .     -     -     . 
■Nlurphey's  Tacitus, 

Gibbon's  Roman  Empire,       ... 
D;u  ilU.'o  History  of  France  by  Fame- 
worth, .     - 


Roscce'o  Lorenzo  de  oNIedici, 
Clavii'.;;cro'b  History  of  Mexico, 
Robertson's  Cliurles,     .     -     .     - 
Robertson's  America,    -     -     - 


5 

2 
11 
1"! 


102 


18 

14 

-  1 

1 

4 
1 
5 
1 


WHOLE 

SET. 


Dollars. 

60 

40 

111 


300 


54 
112 

10 
10 
36 

9 
ZS 
10 


10 
14 
28 
30 
54 

24 

24 
24 
18 
24 


EAeU 
BOOK. 


Dollars. 
12 
20 
10 


5 

7 

r 

7  50 
9 

12 
12 

12 

6 

12 


FACSIMII.K  Ol'-  CATAI.OOUK  OK  1802,  SHOWING  EARI.Y  MKTHOD  OF 
CLASSIFICATION. 


History  of  tliL-  Library  of  Congress,  vol.  i.  i)late  4. 


GROWTH  OF  THE  LIBRARY,    180S-1814 


39 


Chapter  Three 

growth  of  the  library,  180s-1814 

The  Library  Committee  liad  recommended  (December  18, 
1 801)  tbat  the  books,  tlie  larger  number  of  which,  recently 
imported,  had  been  hitherto  stored  in  trunks,  be  set  up  in 
portable  cases  with  handles  to  them  for  the  purpose  of  easy 
removal.  The  wisdom  of  this  advice  soon  became  evident, 
for  in  the  year  1805  it  was  found  necessary  to  replace  the 
temporary  structure  erected  for  the  House  of  Representatives, 
popularly  known,  because  of  its  shape,  as  the  "  Oven  or  Ellip- 
tic Room,"  by  a  permanent  structure  which  should  form  the 
south  wing  of  the  Capitol,  and,  during  the  progress  of  the 
alterations,  to  accommodate  the  House  in  its  old  quarters  in 
the  Library  room.  For  this  purpose  the  civil-appropriations 
act,  approved  March  i,  1805,  provided  $700  for  dismantling 
the  Library  room  and  fitting  it  up  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  House  at  the  ensuing  session,  and  $900  for  the  removal 
of  the  Library,  all  other  contingent  expenses  of  the  same,  and 
Librarian's  allowance  for  the  year  1805.  In  consequence  of 
this,  the  Library  was  removed  to  the  committee  room  adjoin- 
ing on  the  south.'  Here  it  appears  to  have  remained  until 
the  beginning  of  18 10,  for  after  the  completion  of  the  south 
wing,  October  6,  1807,  the  north  wing  required  rebuilding. 
While  the  Senate  side  was  undergoing  repair,  the  old  Library 
room  just  vacated  by  the  House  was  occupied  first  by  the 
Supreme  Court  (October  6,  1807,  to  March  3,  1809),  and  then 
by  the  Senate  (May  22,  1809,  ^^  May  i,  1810).^ 

•  Report  of  the  committee  to  whom  was  referred  on  the  22d  ultimo  the  message  of 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  communicating  a  report  (February  28,  1804)  of 
the  surveyor  of  the  public  buildings  at  the  city  of  Washington,  March  6,  1804, 

'Message  from  the  President  of  the  United  States  communicating  a  report  (Novem- 
ber 25,  1806)  of  the  surveyor  of  public  buildings  at  the  city  of  Washington,  on  the 
subject  of  the  said  building.  Read  December  15,  1806.  In  Ninth  Congress,  second 
session,  reports  i:  ii.  Report  of  the  committee  appointed  to  confer  with  the  sur- 
veyor of  public  buildings  relative  to  the  accommodation  of  the  Senate  at  the  next 
meeting  of  Congress,  February  18,  1809. 

41 


42  GROWTH   OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1805-1814. 

The  Library  side  of  the  north  wing  now  required  attention. 
The  deca}^  of  the  timber  of  the  roof  and  of  the  floor  was  such 
as  to  prevent  any  effectual  security  against  leakage  and  ren- 
der partial  repair  impossible.  Moreover  the  room  in  which 
the  Library  had  been  located  had  become  too  small  for  the 
books  already  purchased,  which  were  obliged  to  be  piled 
about  in  heaps.  Accordingly  the  surveyor  of  the  public 
buildings  asked  for  an  appropriation  of  $25,000  with  which 
to  carry  up  the  Library  side  of  the  building  solidly,  and 
promised  that  if  the  appropriation  were  made  the  Library 
would  be  fitted  up  and  ready  for  the  reception  of  the  books 
before  the  session  of  1810-1 1.  The  Library  would  consist  of  a 
main  library  room  calculated  to  contain  not  less  than  40,000 
books  shelved  against  its  walls  in  three  stages  or  galleries,  a 
private  reading  room  for  members  of  the  Legislature,  and  two 
storerooms  for  unbound  books,  pamphlets,  and  deposited 
copies  of  the  laws,  etc' 

The  only  response  was  the  insertion  of  a  clause  in  the  civil- 
appropriations  act,  approved  March  3,  1809,  providing  for 
"temporary  and  adequate  accommodations  for  the  Library,  in 
the  room  now  used  for  that  purpose  and  in  the  one  in  which 
the  Senate  now  sits,"  the  sum  of  $5,000.'' 

Again,  on  December  11,  1809,  the  surveyor  of  the  public 
buildings  called  the  attention  of  Congress  to  this  subject, 
saying: 

I  ajs^ain  beg  leave  to  call  your  attention  to  the  west  side  of  this  wing. 
It  is  intended  to  contain  the  I^ibrary,  and  is  in  such  a  state  of  decay 
throughout  as  to  render  it  dangerous  to  postpone  the  work  proposed. 
It  is  now  the  only  part  of  the  Capitol  that  remains  to  be  solidlj'  rebuilt. 
But  independently  of  this  consideration,  the  increasing  extent  of  the 
Library  of  Congress  induces  me  to  represent  to  you  the  necessity  of  con- 
structing rooms  intended  permanently  to  contain  it.     Should  the  work 

•  Message  from  the  President  of  the  United  States  transmitting  a  report  of  the  sur- 
veyor of  the  public  buildings  of  the  United  States  in  the  city  of  Washington,  Decem- 
ber I,  1808.  Read  December  2,  1808,  and  ordered  to  lie  on  the  table.  In  Tenth 
Congress,  second  session,  reports,  p.  11. 

*  David  B.  Warden,  a  visitor  in  Washington  before  his  appointment  as  consul  at 
Paris,  March  3,  181 1,  speaks  of  the  Library  as  being  located  under  the  Senate  Cham- 
ber.  Chorographical  and  statistical  description  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  Paris, 
181 6,  p.  35.  The  Senate  occupied  the  basement  below  the  Library  room  from  October 
6,  1807,  to  March  3,  1S09. 


QUESTION   OF   LIBRARY   ROOM.  43 

be  commenced  in  the  approaching  season,  the  books  may  be  removed, 
and  the  Library  and  reading  rooms  be  fitted  up  for  use  by  the  session 
after  next.' 

These  appeals  were  without  further  effect  until  January  5, 
181 1,  when,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Seybert  in  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, a  committee  was  appointed  to  provide  for  the  safe- 
keeping of  the  books  which  belonged  to  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress, and  Mr.  Seybert,  Mr.  Quincy,  and  Mr.  Macon  appointed 
the  committee.  On  the  8th  of  January  the  President  commu- 
nicated a  letter  to  the  Senate,  signed  Adam  Seybert,  in  behalf 
of  the  above  committee,  stating  that  the  books  in  the  Library 
were  in  great  danger  of  being  ruined  in  consequence  of  leaks 
in  the  roof  of  the  building,  and  asking  permission  to  place 
them  for  a  time  in  one  of  the  committee  rooms  belonging  to 
the  Senate;  and  the  letter  being  read,  it  was  ^''Resolved,  That 
the  Senate  comply  with  the  request  contained  therein,  and 
assign  their  largest  committee  room  for  the  purpose." 

On  January  17,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Seybert  in  the  House  of 
Representatives,  and  on  the  21st,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Leib 
in  the  Senate,  it  was  ^'' Resolved^  That  the  joint  committee 
appointed  by  the  Senate  and  the  House  of  Representatives  of 
the  United  States,  respecting  the  Library  belonging  thereto, 
be  directed  to  inquire  into  the  expediency  of  making  pro- 
vision for  the  permanent  safe-keeping  of  the  books."  In 
consequence  of  these  efforts  the  civil-appropriations  act, 
approved  February  20,  181 1,  provided  for  repairing  the  roof 
and  fitting  up  the  room  on  the  west  side  of  the  north  wing 
of  the  Capitol  the  sum  of  $600,  in  addition  to  $800  for  all 
contingent  expenses  of  the  Library  and  for  the  Librarian's 
allowance.  The  war  of  181 2  now  threatened,  and  Congress 
ceased  to  make  any  appropriations  for  public  buildings. 

On  the  24th  of  August,  18 14,  the  Library  was  destroyed  by 
the  British  troops,  the  wooden  interior  and  shingled  roof  mak- 
ing of  the  Library  rooms  a  mere  tinder  box.^ 

'  Message  from  the  President  of  the  United  States,  transmitting  a  report  of  the  sur- 
veyor of  the  public  buildings  (December  11,  1809).  Read  December  21,  1809.  In 
Eleventh  Congress,  second  session,  reports  1809-10,  i:  11. 

"Rev.  George  R.  Gleig,  a  chaplain  in  the  British  army,  gives  a  confused  account 
of  the  Capitol,  including  the  Library  rooms,  in  his  Narrative  of  the  Campaigns  of  the 
British  army  at  Washington,  Phila.,  1821,  p.  138. 


44  GROWTH   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1805-1814. 

ADMINISTRATION  OF  THE  IvIBRARY,  1805-1814. 

The  death  of  John  Beckley,  April  8,  1807,  left  the  office  of 
Librarian  of  Congress  vacant.  With  respect  to  this  vacancy- 
President  Jefferson  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  Henry 
Dearborn,  April  21,  1807:  "With  respect  to  the  office  of 
Librarian,  I  have  thought  it  best  generally  to  give  it  to  the 
Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  who  being  dependent 
on  the  House  is,  of  course,  bound  to  be  complaisant  to  the 
members.  In  the  present  case  I  am  strongly  disposed  to 
depart  from  the  rule  in  favor  of  William  Mayne  Duncanson. 
He  was  in  the  very  worst  days  of  terror  one  of  the  four  or  five 
who  alone  stood  their  ground  as  Republicans  in  Washington 
and  Georgetown.  He  is,  I  think,  a  very  honest  man,  came 
here  a  very  wealthy  one,  has  been  swindled  out  of  his  whole 
property,  and  now  is  in  real  distress.  He  is  warm  in  his 
temper,  and  on  account  of  some  communications  with  Colonel 
Smith  in  Miranda's  affair  and  perhaps  some  acquaintance 
with  Burr  might,  I  fear,  be  rather  unpopular  with  the  mem- 
bers. But  my  confidence  is  that  he  would  be  and  has  been 
an  honest  man  in  all  his  purposes.  I  am  a  little  puzzled, 
therefore,  between  doubt  and  inclination." ' 

It  was,  however,  decided  not  to  separate  the  two  offices  of 
Librarian  of  Congress  and  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Represent- 
atives as  yet,  and  Patrick  Magruder,  appointed  Beckley's 
successor  as  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  October 
26,  1807,  received  also  the  appointment  of  Librarian  of  Con- 
gress, November  7,  1807."  During  the  sessions  of  Congress 
Magruder  appears  to  have  employed  one  James  Kearney  as 
assistant  librarian,  for  a  letter  from  him,  dated  Library  of 
Congress,  April  8,  1808,  addressed  to  the  Hon.  S.  L.  Mitchill, 
chairman  of  the  Joint  Committee  of  the  Library  of  Congress, 
beginning  "the  following  donations  to  the  Library  have  been 
received  since  the  last  report  of  the  Library  Committee" 
(February  11,  1807),  is  printed  in   the  report  of   the  Com- 

•Jefferson  MSS.,  series  i,  vol.  12,  No.  132.  I  am  indebted  to  Mr.  Henry  Adams, 
the  historian,  for  reference  to  this  letter. 

*  December  12,  1808,  J.  P.  Reibelt,  formerly  of  Baltimore,  wrote  from  New  Orleans 
to  Jefferson,  asking  to  be  appointed  Librarian.  Jefferson  Papers,  series  2,  vol.  71, 
Nos.  125-126. 


PLANS   OF  THE  LIBRARY   COMMITTEE.  45 

mittee,  dated  April  11,  1808.  At  the  time  of  the  invasion  of 
Washington,  in  1814,  J.  T.  Frost  was  acting  as  assistant 
librarian. 

While  the  custody  of  the  Library  was  thus  conferred  upon 
a  Librarian,  the  most  important  duties  of  the  office  as  now 
conceived,  i.  e.,  the  bibliographical,  devolved  upon  the  Library 
Committee. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  second  session  of  the  Ninth  Con- 
gress, December  6,  1805,  the  Senate  ^^Resolved,  That  a  com- 
mittee be  appointed  to  inquire  into  the  expediency  of  appro- 
priating a  further  sum  of  money  to  purchase  maps  and  books 
for  the  Library,"  and  ''Ordered,  That  Messrs.  Mitchill,  Bald- 
win, and  Tracy  be  the  committee." 

The  chairman  of  this  committee  was  Dr.  Samuel  Latham 
Mitchill,  celebrated  as  the  Nestor  of  American  science,  called 
by  President  Jefferson  "the  Congressional  dictionary"  and 
by  John  Randolph  "the  Congressional  Library."  There  is  a 
legend  which  runs  as  follows:  One  day  Mr.  Dana,  of  Connect- 
icut, who  was  also  distinguished  for  learning,  wishing  to  con- 
fer with  Doctor  Mitchill  on  committee  business,  was  looking 
for  him  at  the  door  of  the  House  when  he  met  Mr.  Randolph. 
"I  am  looking,"  said  Mr.  Dana,  "for  our  'stalking  library.'" 
"Are  you?"  said  Randolph;  "I  have  just  heard  him  inquiring 
for  his  '  index.' " ' 

A  report  was  at  once  drawn  up  by  this  committee  under 
the  direction  of  Doctor  Mitchill  and  presented  to  the  Senate 
on  the  20th  of  January,  1806.  After  narrating  the  legislative 
history  of  the  Library  and  presenting  a  statement  from 
Albert  Gallatin,  Treasurer  of  the  United  States,  describing 
the  manner  in  which  the  appropriation  made  in  the  year  1800 
had  been  expended,^  this  report  referred  to  the  need  for  a  fur- 
ther appropriation  for  the  Library  in  the  following  words: 

Every  member  knows  that  the  inquiries  of  standing  and  select  com- 
mittees can  not  here  be  aided  by  large  public  libraries,  as  in  New  York, 

'John  W.  Francis,  "Reminiscences  of  Samuel  Latham  Mitchill,"  New  York, 
1859;  Harper' s  Magazine  ^^■.  740;  Historical  Magazine  \:  358. 

^January  3,  1806,  Gallatin  wrote  to  Jefferson,  saying  that  the  Library  Committee 
desired  information  as  to  expenditures,  observing  that  Erving  and  Livingston  had 
not  accounted  to  the  Treasury,  and  inquiring  whether  they  had  rendered  their 
accounts  to  the  President.     Jefferson  Papers,  series  3,  vol.  6,  No.  i. 


46  GROWTH    OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1805-1814. 

Baltimore,  and  Philadelphia.  Nor  has  it  hitherto  appeared  that  so  much 
benefit  is  to  be  derived  from  private  collections  at  the  present  seat  of 
Government  as  in  those  large  cities.  Every  week  of  the  session  causes 
additional  regret  that  the  volumes  of  literature  and  science  within  the 
reach  of  the  National  Legislature  are  not  more  rich  and  ample.  The 
want  of  geographical  illustration  is  truly  distressing;  and  the  deficiency 
of  historical  and  political  works  is  scarcely  less  severely  felt.  There  is, 
however,  no  danger  of  realizing  the  story  of  a  parliamentum  indoctum 
in  this  country,  especially  if  steps  be  seasonably  taken  to  furnish  the 
Library  with  such  materials  as  will  enable  statesmen  to  be  correct  in 
their  investigations,  and,  by  a  becoming  display  of  erudition  and  research, 
give  a  higher  dignity  and  a  brighter  luster  to  truth.' 

In  consequence  of  this  report  a  bill  making  a  further  appro- 
priation for  the  support  of  the  Library  was  at  once  drawn  up, 
discussed  in  Committee  of  the  Whole,  and  amended  on  the 
28th;  on  the  31st  read  the  third  time  and  passed;^  and  on 
February  3d  read  in  the  House  of  Representatives  for  the 
third  time  and  passed.^     This  act  was  as  follows: 

AN  ACT  Making  further  appropriation  for  the  support  of  a  Library. 

Be  it  enacted,  &c. ,  That  in  addition  to  the  unexpended  balance  of  the 
former  appropriation  made  to  purchase  books  for  the  use  of  Congress, 
which  is  hereby  revived  and  continued,  there  shall  be  appropriated  the 
sum  of  one  thousand  dollars  yearly,  for  the  term  of  five  years;  to  be 
paid  out  of  any  moneys  in  the  Treasury  not  otherwise  appropriated,  and 
expended  under  the  direction  of  a  joint  committee,  to  consist  of  three 
members  of  the  Senate,  and  three  members  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, to  be  appointed  every  session  of  Congress,  during  the  continuance 
of  this  appropriation." 

Approved,  February  21,  1806. 

The  Joint  Library  Committee  appointed  in  accordance  with 
this  law  consisted  of  Senators  Mitchill,  Baldwin,  and  Adams, 
appointed  February  25,  1806,  and  of  Representatives  Joseph 
Clay,  Thomas  M.  Randolph,  and  Dana,  appointed  February  27. 

•Annals  15:  54-55;  Ninth  Congress,  first  session.  Reports.  State  Papers,  Miscel- 
laneous, i:  437.  In  his  Economica  (p.  21),  published  in  Washington  in  1806, 
Samuel  Blodget  suggested  to  Congress  the  desirability  of  passing  "a  law  to  augment 
the  National  Library,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Legislature." 

^Annals  15:  74,  80.  sAnnals  15:  416,  462. 

■•Annals  15:  1227.  This  act  was  continued  by  the  act  of  December  6,  1811,  for  five 
years  more.     Annals  22:  957,  965;  23:  24,  25,  397. 


WORK  OF   THE   LIBRARY   COMMITTEE.  47 

Its  work  is  illustrated  in  an  interesting  manner  by  the 
Memoirs  of  John  Quincy  Adams.  In  these  he  writes,  March 
12,  1806:  "Met  the  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library — Mr. 
Mitchill,  Mr.  Baldwin,  and  myself,  of  the  Senate;  Mr.  J.  Clay, 
Mr.  T.  M.  Randolph,  and  Mr.  Dana,  of  the  House.  All  pres- 
ent. We  passed  two  or  three  votes  and  are  to  meet  again. 
We  sat  late,  and  when  I  went  into  the  Senate  I  found  that  the 
South  Carolina  tonnage  bill  had  passed  to  a  third  reading 
while  I  was  absent." 

March  31,  1806:  "  Met  the  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library, 
and  we  made  some  further  progress  in  our  business.  We 
agreed  that  the  principal  part  of  the  fund  appropriated  this 
year  should  be  expended  by  Doctor  Mitchill,  Mr.  Clay,  and 
myself  during  the  recess  in  collecting  books  in  Boston,  New 
York,  and  Philadelphia,  as  the  occasion  may  offer.  We  are 
to  meet  again." 

An  extract  from  the  minutes  of  the  committee,  signed  by  the 
members  of  the  committee,  and  preserved  among  the  archives 
of  the  Library,  evidently  refers  to  the  business  of  this  meeting. 
It  reads: 

''''Ordered^  That  Samuel  L.  Mitchill,  John  Quincy  Adams, 
and  Joseph  Clay  be  each  authorized  to  draw  on  Joseph  Nourse, 
agent  for  the  joint  committee,  for  any  sum  not  exceeding  $494, 
to  be  accounted  for  to  the  said  agent,  at  the  ensuing  session 
of  Congress." 

On  the  nth  of  February,  1807,  the  Library  Committee 
made  the  following  report  upon  its  work  of  the  preceding 
year.     It  said: 

The  committee  were  successful  in  procuring  the  consent  of  Joseph 
Nourse,  esq. ,  to  be  their  agent  to  hold  the  money,  and  drew  upon  the 
Treasury  in  his  favor  for  the  amount  appropriated.  Messrs.  Mitchill, 
Adams,  and  Cla}^  were  then  nominated  agents  to  expend  the  money  con- 
formably to  the  directions  of  the  law.  To  each  of  them  was  allotted  a 
specific  sum,  with  an  understanding  that  books  should  be  purchased  in 
Boston,  New  York,  and  Philadelphia;  the  articles  bought  in  pursuance 
of  this  authority  have  been  placed  in  the  \JCoxzxy,  except  one  box  of 
books,  which  has  been  unfortunately  lost  on  its  passage  from  Boston  to 
Washington,  by  the  foundering  at  sea  of  the  vessel  on  board  of  which  it 
had  been  shipped.     *     *     * 


48  GROWTH   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1805-T814. 

In  conclusion,  it  added: 

The  members  of  the  two  Houses  are  respectfully  requested  to  furnish 
lists  of  good  and  proper  books,  and  to  suggest  hints  for  the  improvement 
of  the  Library.  All  communications  on  these  subjects  ma}'  be  addressed 
to  the  Librarian,  who  will  transmit  them  to  the  committee. 

Mr.  Adams's  diar}^  continues:  ^''February  28,  180J. — Met 
Doctor  Mitchill  and  Mr.  Dana,  of  the  Library  Committee,  in 
the  Library.  Mr.  Baldwin  and  Mr.  T.  M.  Randolph  are  both 
unwell  and  were  not  able  to  attend.  Mr.  J.  Clay  is  absent, 
and  being  appointed  cashier  of  a  new  bank  in  Philadelphia 
will  probably  resign  his  seat  in  Congress.  We  could  not 
form  a  majority  of  the  committee,  but  directed  an  order  to  be 
drawm  on  the  Treasurer  for  the  amount  of  the  annual  appro- 
priation, and  agreed  to  meet  again  Monda}''  morning." 

'"''November  20^  iSoj. — The  Library  Committee  of  last  session 
were  to  meet  at  10  this  morning,  but  onl}^  three  members. 
Doctor  Mitchill,  Mr.  Dana,  and  myself  attended.  Mr.  Clay, 
though  notified,  did  not  come,  and  we  have  lost  two  members — 
Mr.  Baldwin  by  death,  and  Mr.  T.  M.  Randolph,  who  is  not 
a  member  of  the  present  Congress.  We  agreed,  however, 
that  Doctor  Mitchill,  the  chairman,  should  prepare  a  report 
to  be  made  to  the  two  Houses;  that  Mr.  Dana  should  super- 
intend the  making  and  printing  of  a  new  list  of  the  books, 
and  that  Doctor  Mitchill  and  myself  should  confer  with  the 
President  respecting  the  place  for  keeping  the  Library.'" 

CHARACTER  OF  THE  LIBRARY  IN  1814. 

In  consequence  of  this  activity  of  the  Library  Committee, 
there  was  expended  for  books  between  March  25,  1807,  and 
March  11,  1808,  the  sum  of  $1,149.20,  and  between  June  8 
and  December  8,  1808,  the  sum  of  $1,133.01.^  During  the 
same  period  31  donations,  mostly  from  Senators  and  authors, 
were  made  to  the  Library.  Complete  lists  of  the  books  in 
the  Library,  including  these  acquisitions,  were  published  in 
the  catalogues  of  1808  and  181 2.  In  the  second  of  these  cat- 
alogues short  titles  of  some  3,000  volumes  are  entered.  The 
old  system  of  classification  by  size  only  is  abandoned  and  the 

'Memoirs,  edited  by  C.  F.  Adams,  Philadelphia,  1874,  I:  420,  424,  463,  478, 
'Reports  of  the  Library  Committee,  April  11,  iSoS,  aud  January  27,  1809. 


CHARACTER  OF  THE   LIBRARY   IN    1814.  49 

books  are  arranged  by  size  under  the  following  captions: 
Sacred  history;  ecclesiastical  history;  civil  history,  includ- 
ing chronolog}^,  biography,  antiquities,  etc.;  geography  and 
topography;  voyages  and  travels;  law;  ethics,  or  the  moral 
system  in  general;  theology  and  mythology;  logic,  rhet- 
oric, and  criticism;  dictionaries,  grammars  and  treatises  on 
education ;  general  and  local  politics ;  political  economy,  etc.; 
trade  and  commerce ;  military  and  naval  tactics ;  agriculture 
rural  economy,  etc.;  natural  history;  natural  and  experi- 
mental philosophy,  etc.;  medicine,  surgery,  and  chemistry; 
poetry  and  the  drama;  works  of  fiction,  wit,  etc.;  arts  and 
sciences,  and  miscellaneous  literature ;  gazettes,  maps,  charts, 
and  plans. 

Samuel  Knapp '  obser\''ed  that  journals,  laws,  and  state 
papers  were  about  all  the  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  could  have  access  to  in  their  public  reading  room 
until  the  Jefferson  library  was  purchased.  An  examination 
of  the  early  catalogues  does  not,  however,  bear  out  such  a 
conclusion.  On  the  other  hand,  the  collection  may  be  said  to 
have  represented  general  literature  better  than  it  did  polit- 
ical literature.^  There  were  several  reasons  for  this.  The 
legislators  of  that  time  were  without  academic  training  in 
politics,  they  found  their  precedents  in  the  poetry,  not  in  the 
legislation  of  the  past,  their  political  arguments  in  the  verses 
of  Greek  and  Roman  writers,  not  in  the  principles  of  political 
economy,  or  of  constitutional  or  international  law.  This 
being  true,  it  was  natural  that  members  of  Congress  should 
require  a  collection  of  books  of  the  most  general  character. 
Another  important  reason  for  the  general  character  of  the 
collection  lay  in  the  fact  that  there  was  at  this  time  no  public 
library  in  the  city.  It  was  because  there  were  no  other 
sources  of  amusement  that  the  Library,  before  1814,  and 
indeed  later,  was  much  resorted  to  as  a  place  of  relaxation. 

'Sketches  of  Public  Characters,  1830,  p.  117. 

'Walsh's  American  Register,  copied  by  the  Washington  City  Weekly  Gazette, 
July  12,  1817,  and  by  the  Intelligencer,  July  14,  said  that  the  Library  consisted  of 
the  best  English  works  on  history,  politics,  and  polite  literature. 

23399—04 4 


50  GROWTH   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1805-1814. 

OPPORTUNITIES   FOR  THE   DEVELOPMENT    OF   A   NATIONAL 

LIBRARY. 

An  account  of  the  acquisitions  of  the  Library  before  18 14 
would  be  incomplete  without  some  reference  to  the  collections 
which  it  failed  to  acquire.  It  was  partly  the  inexperience 
of  the  Library  Committee  and  partly,  as  a  later  committee 
reported,'  the  inconsiderable  sums  put  from  time  to  time  at 
their  disposal  that  rendered  them  unable  to  avail  themselves 
of  the  many  opportunities  which  were  offered,  on  account 
of  the  political  revolutions  in  Europe,  of  purchasing  large 
collections  of  very  valuable  books  at  the  lowest  prices.  In 
the  same  way  may  be  explained  their  failure  to  secure  and 
thus  preserve  the  invaluable  collection  of  American  topog- 
raphy made  by  Col.  William  Tatham.  Colonel  Tatham  was 
the  first  to  define  the  functions  of  a  national  library  of  the 
United  States.  In  a  letter  to  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  dated  Jefferson  street,  Georgetown,  February 
10,  1806,  he  recommended  that  all  ancient  works,  tracts,  etc., 
as  well  as  all  new  materials  relating  to  American  history, 
should  be  carefully  collected,  classed,  and  arranged;  and  in 
addition,  books  and  proceedings  of  foreign  agricultural  boards 
and  societies,  books  on  commerce,  particularly  those  relative 
to  roads,  river  and  canal  navigation.  In  this  same  letter  he 
offered  to  sell  his  library  to  the  Government  of  the  United 
States.  This  collection,  accumulated  during  thirty  years  of 
public  service  in  America  and  in  Burope,  embraced  manuscripts 
relating  to  the  history,  topography,  commercial,  agricultural, 
and  hydraulic  improvements  of  this  country;  surveys  com- 
prehending nearly  all  the  surveys  known  to  have  been  made 
in  North  America  by  the  topographical  engineers  of  England, 
France,  and  Spain,  prior  to  the  American  Revolution,  describ- 
ing adjacent  countries  about  the  Lakes,  Canada,  the  St. 
Lawrence,  Nova  Scotia,  and  Labrador  to  the  northward  and 
westward,  and  in  the  Floridas  and  Louisiana,  including  the 
Mississippi  and  the  Mobile,  to  the  southward  and  westward, 
besides  a  very  extensive  collection  made  within  the  United 
States,  including  the  documents  for  completing  Tatham's  large 

^  'January  16,  1816. 


OFFER   OF   TATHAM   COLLECTION   OF  AMERICANA.         5 1 

and  smaller  maps  of  the  Southern  States,  his  James  River 
navigation,  and  State  of  Virginia,  his  divisions  of  the  South- 
em  and  Western  States,  his  Northern  States  and  United 
States,  and  his  proposed  American  atlas  on  100  plates;  also 
plans  and  drawings  of  perhaps  nearly  all  the  towns,  suburbs, 
harbors,  environs  of  fortified  places,  etc.,  topographically 
delineated,  together  with  the  plans,  sections,  and  elevations  of 
the  barracks,  fortifications,  etc.,  of  each;  among  them  many  of 
the  original  documents  of  General  Wolfe  and  of  others  who 
served  under  and  succeeded  him  in  Canada,  on  the  Lakes,  on 
the  Mississippi,  etc.,  with  plans,  sections,  and  the  elevations 
of  blockhouses  and  other  works;  also  all  the  similar  docu- 
ments of  the  operations  in  Florida,  together  with  most  part  of 
the  collection  of  the  late  British  engineer  General  Montresor, 
with  many  of  the  originals  of  General  Howe's  campaigns  in 
the  Jerseys,  with  a  few  landscapes  of  interesting  parts  of  the 
(country — aqueducts,  engineering  and  architectural  drawings, 
etc.  Of  engravings  there  was  a  considerable  collection  on 
both  large  and  small  scales,  in  portfolios  and  on  separate 
sheets,  of  various  port  improvements,  containing  all  those 
recently  made  in  London  from  the  actual  surveys  of  the  city, 
parliamentary  surveys  and  reports,  the  surveys  of  eminent 
engineers,  their  reports,  estimates,  etc.;  a  large  collection  on 
the  subject  of  bridge  building,  all  the  late  designs  for  bridges, 
docks,  quays,  etc.,  collected  and  engraved  at  parliamentary 
expense  on  very  large  and  highly  finished  plates;  man}''  other 
bridges,  aqueducts,  mill  works,  waterworks,  etc.,  with  many 
machines  and  contrivances  for  saving  and  abridging  animal 
labor  in  various  agricultural,  commercial,  and  mechanical 
employments,  together  with  an  extensive  assortment  of  locks, 
basins,  canals,  river  and  road  plans  of  various  descriptions, 
and  examples  from  other  parts  of  Kurope,  etc.,  with  many 
interesting  descriptions  of  the  most  suitable  instruments, 
tools,  utensils,  and  apparatus  in  these  pursuits.  Of  his  books 
Tatham  wrote: 

This  small  library  (allowed  by  many  men  of  science  to  be  the  com- 
pletest  of  its  kind)  has  been  selected  from  the  great  mass  in  I^ondon 
and  other  places,  by  many  years  of  research,  industry,  perseverance,  and 
sacrifice  of  time  and  expense  by  the  proposer  in  person.  It  consists  of 
a  few  hundred  volumes,  perhaps  most  of  which  are  not  to  be  had  else- 


52  GROWTH    OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1805-1814. 

where,  as  they  are  chiefly  books  out  of  print,  and  others  the  result  of 
of  actual  operations,  facts,  and  experience,  brought  forward  by  profes- 
sional men  of  superior  talents  at  the  public  expense,  or  at  the  charge  of 
incorporate  companies,  societies,  wealthy  proprietors,  etc.  These  have 
been  carefully  collected  together,  classed,  arranged,  and  bound  in  vol- 
umes suitable  to  the  respective  topics  on  which  they  treat,  and  suitable 
tables  of  contents  added  to  each  collective  volume  in  manuscript.  They 
are  wholly  scientific  and  useful,  it  having  been  an  invariable  rule  with 
the  selector  to  reject  plays,  farces,  novels,  romances,  fabulous  stories, 
and  all  that  trash  and  fashionable  nonsense  which  tends  to  give  a 
contaminated  tone  to  the  popular  morals  and  habits;  to  disseminate 
indolence,  dissipation,  immorality,  vice,  artificial  wants,  false  luxury, 
envy,  hatred,  ambition,  mental  inquietude,  individual  strife,  and  the 
more  lamentable  mania  of  foreign  wars,  bloodshed,  and  contention,  too 
often  about  a  mere  definition  of  words  and  terms  which  both  parties 
would  construe  alike  under  the  governance  of  reason. 

The  subjects  treated  of,  and  relative,  are  agriculture,  horticulture, 
irrigation,  drainage  and  embankments,  commerce,  finance,  internal 
economy,  domestic  and  rural  economy,  architecture  in  general,  rural, 
hj'draulic,  miUtarj^  and  maritime  architecture,  arithmetic,  mathematics, 
survejang,  leveUng,  mechanics,  hydraulics,  hydrostatics,  pneumatics, 
natural  and  experimental  philosophy,  and  those  sciences  in  particular 
which  relate  to  civil  engineering,  chemistry  of  nature  and  art,  the  use  of 
instruments,  apparatus,  and  machines  for  saving  labor,  canal  navigation, 
river  navigation,  and  roads,  parliamentary  proceedings  and  reports  in 
these  respects,  the  works  of  governments,  incorporated  companies,  and 
engineers  throughout  the  world,  the  more  detailed  knowledge  of  water 
works,  mill  works,  engines,  etc. ,  the  knowledge  of  tides  and  land  floods, 
with  the  means  of  converting  their  mechanical  powers  to  useful  purposes, 
and  of  counteracting  their  evils  by  eflBcient  means.  The  whole  deduced 
from  the  results  of  practice  and  actual  experience.  In  general  and 
local  history  and  topography,  the  collection  has  been  chiefly  confined 
to  domestic  matter  (more  peculiarly  applicable  to  our  public  economy), 
and  to  that  which  is  immediately  relative  on  either  our  Atlantic  or 
Pacific  coasts,  or  in  the  interior.  In  the  latter,  Canada,  Hudson's  Baj^ 
the  Russian  confines,  California,  Mexico,  South  America,  Louisiana, 
and  the  Floridas  have  been  attended  to,  and  will  be  found  copious  and 
instructive.  On  the  subject  of  public  institutions,  useful  societies, 
public  boards,  charities,  useful  economical  improvements,  the  economy 
of  public  roads,  the  general  and  local  jurisdiction  of  the  public  .sewers  and 
estuaries,  and  metropolitan  police,  there  has  been  a  careful  selection,  as 
there  has  been  also  a  tolerably  complete  one  of  contemporary  facts  during 
the  revolution  of  America,  brought  into  a  few  chronological  volumes.' 

'  Report  from  the  committee  appointed  on  the  loth  of  February  last,  on  the  letter 
of  William  Tatham  to  the  Speaker,  April  i,  1806.  Read  and  ordered  to  lie  on  the 
table.     Washington,  A.  &  G.  Way,  i8o6.     Ninth  Congress,  first  session.     23  pp.     8°. 


OFFER   OF   TATHAM   COLLECTION   OF   AMERICANA.         53 

The  committee  to  whom  this  letter  was  referred,  feeling 
that  in  affairs  of  war  the  experience  of  their  predecessors  was 
peculiarly  valuable,  and  considering  the  value  of  the  Tatham 
collection,  recommended  the  following  resolution:  "That  in 
addition  to  the  appropriation  already  made  by  law,  a  sum  not 

exceeding dollars  be  appropriated  as  a  part  of  the  fund 

for  the  purchase  of  books,  maps,  and  charts  for  the  Department 
of  War,  to  enable  the  Secretary  of  War  to  purchase  from 
William  Tatham  such  parts  of  his  collection  as  may  be,  in 
the  judgment  of  the  Secretar}^,  of  public  use,  to  be  paid  out  of 
any  money  in  the  Treasur}^  not  otherwise  appropriated."  The 
report  was,  however,  laid  upon  the  table. 

There  are  further  notices  of  the  collection,  at  that  time 
stored  in  Tatham's  house  near  the  Treasury,  in  the  National 
Intelligencer^  November  6,  18 13,  and  March  25,  18 14.  On 
the  loth  of  February,  181 7,  a  committee  recommended  in  the 
House  the  appropriation  of  the  sum  of  15,000  for  the  pur- 
chase of  the  collection.  This  recommendation,  too,  failed. 
On  the  2 2d  of  Februar}',  18 19,  the  unfortunate  genius,  then 
a  resident  of  Richmond,  committed  suicide.  The  Enquirer^ 
February  25,  1819,  speaking  of  the  event,  observed:  "He 
left  a  valuable  stock  of  maps,  plates,  charts,  and  explanatory 
manuscripts,  filling  six  rooms  of  his  house,  which  it  is  hoped 
will  be  carefully  preserved."' 

We  have  named  those  who  held  the  office  of  librarian 
before  18 14,  and  we  have  described  the  bibliographical  activity 
of  the  Library  Committee;  it  remains  for  us  to  speak  of  the 
development  of  the  functions  of  the  Library  and  of  the  rules 
and  regulations  governing  its  administration  during  the  first 
period  of  its  existence. 

'There  is  an  obituary  of  Tatham  in  the  Georgetown  Messenger^  February  26,  1S19; 
an  autobiographical  sketch  in  the  Richmond  Enquirer,  March  2,  1819,  reprinted  in 
the  City  of  Washington  Gazette,  March  4.  There  is  a  good  biographical  sketch  in 
Public  Characters,  1801-2,  2d  ed.,  London,  1804,  pp.  424-450.  There  are  letters  from 
Tatham  to  Madison  regarding  this  collection,  March  16,  June  26,  December  7,  1812, 
April  18,  1814,  April  i,  1815,  among  the  ^ladison  MSS.  It  is  possible  that  a  part  of 
this  collection  was  acquired  by  Peter  Force  and  transferred  with  his  librarj'  to  the 
Library  of  Congress  in  1867. 


54  GROWTH   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1805-1814. 

DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   COLLECTION   OF    DOCUMENTS. 

Before  1805  the  collection  of  public  documents,  local  and 
national,  of  the  United  States  and  of  foreign  countries  had 
been  left  to  the  caprice  of  the  irresponsible  individual.  On 
the  2d  of  January,  1805,  however,  the  following  act  for  the 
disposal  of  certain  copies  of  the  journals  and  of  the  laws  of 
the  United  States  was  approved: 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  iji  Congress  assembled,  That  three  hundred  copies  of 
the  laws  of  the  United  States,  which  have  been  procured  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  State,  in  obedience  to  the  law  passed  for  that  purpose,  and  three 
hundred  copies  of  the  journals  of  Congress,  which  have  been  procured 
in  pursuance  of  the  resolution  of  the  second  of  March,  one  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  ninety-nine,  shall  be  placed  in  the  Library  of 
Congress. 

Sec.  2.  A7id  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate, 
for  the  time  being,  be,  and  he  is  hereby,  authorized  to  receive  three  hun- 
dred copies  of  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  out  of  the  thousand  copies 
reserved  by  law  for  the  disposal  of  Congress,  as  soon  as  the  same  shall 
be  printed  after  each  session;  which  he  shall  cause  to  be  placed  in  the 
library,  and  assorted  respectively  with  the  sets  of  copies  mentioned  in 
the  first  section  of  this  act;  excepting  only,  that  at  the  close  of  the  pres- 
ent session,  which  will  complete  the  eighth  Congress,  and  in  like  man- 
ner after  each  particular  session  in  future,  which  shall  complete  a 
Congress,  he  shall  cause  the  several  copies,  reserv^ed  by  him  as  aforesaid, 
for  all  the  sessions  for  each  respective  Congress,  to  be  bound  in  one  vol- 
ume, making  three  hundred  volumes  for  each  Congress,  as  aforesaid; 
which  he  shall  cause  to  be  placed  in  the  library,  assorted  with  the  respec- 
tive sets  of  copies  mentioned  in  the  first  section  of  this  act.  And  the  sev- 
eral copies  of  the  laws  and  journals  of  Congress,  mentioned  in  this  act 
shall  not  be  taken  out  of  the  library,  except  by  the  President  and  Vice 
President  of  the  United  States,  and  members  of  the  Senate  and  House  of 
Representatives  for  the  time  being.  And  the  expense  of  binding  shall 
be  paid,  from  time  to  time,  out  of  the  fund  appropriated  to  defray  the 
contingent  expenses  of  both  Houses  of  Congress. 

Sec  3.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  Tha^  the  President  of  the  Senate  and 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  for  the  time  being,  be,  and  they 
are  hereby,  empowered  to  establish  such  regulations  and  restrictions  in 
relation  to  the  copies  of  the  laws  and  journals  of  Congress,  directed  by 
this  act  to  be  placed  in  the  library,  as  to  them  shall  seem  proper,  and 
from  time  to  time  to  alter  and  amend  the  same :  Provided,  That  no  regu- 
lation nor  restriction  .shall  be  valid,  which  is  repugnant  to  the  provisions 
contained  in  this  act. 


DEVELOPMENT   OF  COLLECTION  OF  DOCUMENTS.  55 

In  1809  this  provision  for  the  preservation  of  the  laws  of 
the  United  States  and  journals  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress 
was  supplemented  by  a  measure  providing  for  the  preservation 
of  all  documents  laid  before  Congress.  On  February  i,  Mr. 
Burwell  in  the  House  of  Representatives  moved  the  following 
resolution:  "That  the  Clerk  of  this  House  be  instructed  to 
furnish  the  Librarian  of  Congress  with  two  complete  sets  of 
all  documents  laid  before  Congress  at  each  session,"  which 
was  laid  on  the  table.  On  the  following  day,  on  motion  of 
Mr.  Burwell,  the  House  proceeded  to  consider  the  resolution, 
and  the  same  was  amended  on  the  several  motions  of  Mr. 
Macon  and  Mr.  Marion,  to  read  as  follows:  ^'' Resolved^  That 
the  Clerk  of  this  House  be  instructed  to  furnish  the  Librarian 
of  Congress  with  two  complete  sets  of  the  journals  and  all 
documents  and  reports  laid  before  Congress  at  each  session." 
Then  a  motion  was  made  by  Mr.  Durell  further  to  amend 
the  said  resolutions  by  adding  to  the  end  thereof  the  words 
following:  "and  to  transmit  to  the  secretary  of  each  of  the 
States  in  the  Union,  and  of  the  Territories  thereof,  one  such 
set  for  the  use  of  said  States  and  Territories,  respectively." 
But  this  was  lost,  and  on  motion  of  Mr.  Stanford  the  resolu- 
tion, as  amended,  was  referred  to  a  select  committee  to  con- 
sider and  report  upon  to  the  House.  On  the  6th  of  February, 
the  committee  consisting  of  Messrs.  Burwell,  Stanford,  and 
Ely  reported,  and  it  was  ^''Resohed^  That  the  Clerk  of  this 
House  be  directed  to  furnish  the  Library  of  Congress  with 
two  sets  of  the  journals  and  of  all  printed  reports  and  public 
documents  laid  before  Congress,  or  either  House,  at  each 
session."' 

EXTENSION    OF   THE    PRIVILEGES    OF    THE    LIBRARY. 

The  House  of  Representatives  was  the  leader  in  enlarging 
the  functions  of  the  Library  in  another  direction.  From  the 
first  the  Senate  had  stood  for  appropriations  large  enough  to 
enable  the  Librar}'  to  fulfill  its  functions  as  a  Congressional 
Library.  On  the  other  hand,  the  House  of  Representatives 
had  stood  for  an  enlargement  of  the  sphere  of  service  of  the 
Library — for  the  extension  of  the  privileges  of  the  Library, 

'Aunals  19:    1270,  1301,  1375. 


56  GROWTH   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1805-1814. 

not  only  to  the  President  and  Vice-President  of  tlie  United 
States,  bnt  also  to  the  heads  of  Departments,  the  Attorney- 
General,  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  and  of  the  district  court 
of  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  foreign  ministers,  and,  by 
inference,  the  development  of  the  Library  along  the  wider  lines 
dictated  by  the  extension  of  the  privileges  of  the  Librar}'  to 
readers  of  wider  interests.  The  first  step  in  this  direction 
subsequent  to  the  act  of  1802  was  taken  in  the  House, 
February  19,  1806.  On  that  day  it  was  ^^Resolved^  That  a 
committee  be  appointed  to  consider  the  propriety  of  amend- 
ing the  fourth  section  of  the  Act  of  1 802  so  as  to  extend  the 
privilege  of  taking  books  out  of  the  Library  to  the  Secretary 
of  State,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasur}",  the  Secretary  of 
War,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  and  the  Attorney-General 
of  the  United  States;  and  that  the  committee  have  leave  to 
report  by  bill,  or  otherwise.  Ordered^  That  Messrs.  Joseph 
Clay,  Nicholson,  and  John  C.  Smith  be  appointed  a  committee, 
pursuant  to  the  said  resolution." 

On  the  following  day  this  committee  reported  by  bill,  which, 
after  several  amendments  in  Committee  of  the  Whole,  was  read 
the  third  time  and  passed,  February  25.' 

On  the  same  day  a  message  from  the  House  informed  the 
Senate  of  the  passage  of  this  bill,  in  which  they  desired  the 
concurrence  of  the  Senate.  On  the  following  da}^,^  accord- 
ingly, the  Senate  referred  the  bill  to  a  committee  consisting 
of  Messrs.  Anderson,  Baldwin,  and  Mitchill  to  consider  and 
report  upon,  which,  on  the  7th  of  March,  the}^  did,  without 
amendment.  But  after  consideration  in  Committee  of  the 
Whole,^  the  measure  was  lost  on  the  third  reading."* 

On  the  27th  of  April,  18 10,  however,  on  motion  of  Mr. 
Lloyd  in  the  Senate,  a  bill  to  amend  the  fourth  section  of  the 
act  of  1802  passed  the  Senate,  and  on  the  3Dth  of  April  the 
House,  yeas  53,  nays  32,  as  follows:^ 

AN  ACT  In  addition  to  an  act  entitled  "An  act  concerning  the  Library  for  the  use  of 
both  Houses  of  Congress. ' ' 

Be  it  enacted,  &c. ,  That  the  President  of  the  Senate  and  Speaker  of 
the  House  of  Representatives,  for  the  time  being,  be,  and  they  are  hereby, 
authorized  to  grant  the  use  of  the  books  in  the  Library  of  Congress,  to 

'Annals  15:  480,  482,  497.  'February  26.  3 March  11. 

<March  14.     Annals  15:  140-141,  165,  182,  184.  5  Annals  21:   1997,  2017. 


EXTENSION   OF   PRIVILEGES  OF   LIBRARY.  57 

the  Agent  of  the  Joint  Committee  of  Congress,  appointed  in  relation  to 
the  Library,  on  the  same  terms,  conditions,  and  restrictions  as  members 
of  Congress  are  allowed  to  use  said  books,  anything  contained  in  any 
former  law  to  the  contrary,  notwithst?nding. 
Approved,  May  i,  18 10.' 

On  the  26tliof  February,  181 2,  the  following  resolution,  in 
the  form  of  a  joint  resolution  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress, 
was  submitted  by  Mr.  Seybert  in  the  House  of  Representatives: 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  arid  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  President  of  the  Sen- 
ate and  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  for  the  time  being, 
be,  and  they  are  hereby,  authorized  to  grant  the  use  of  the  books  in  the 
Library'  of  Congress  to  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United 
States,  at  the  time  and  on  the  same  terms,  conditions  and  restrictions, 
as  members  of  Congress  are  allowed  to  use  said  books. 

On  the  following  day,  the  27th  of  February,  the  resolution 
was  read  the  third  time  in  the  House  and  passed.^  On  the 
same  da}^  a  message  from  the  House  informed  the  Senate  of 
the  passage  of  the  resolution,  and  requested  the  concurrence 
of  the  Senate.  On  motion  of  Mr.  Lloyd,  accordingly,  the  reso- 
lution was  read  three  times  by  unanimous  consent,  and  was 
concurred  in, ^  and  on  March  2,  1812,  approved,'^  in  the  form 
in  which  it  had  been  introduced. 

On  the  same  day,  March  2,  the  Speaker  laid  before  the 
House  a  letter  from  the  Chief  Justice  of  the  United  States,  in 
behalf  of  the  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court,  acknowledging 
the  favor  which  Congress  had  conferred  upon  them.^  It  was 
a  favor,  Ben:  Perley  Poore  says  in  his  Reminiscences,^  which 
Chief  Justice  Marshall  prized  very  highly.  "He  liked  to 
wait  upon  himself,  rather  than  to  be  served  by  the  Librarian, 
and  one  day  in  taking  a  law  book  from  the  upper  shelf  of  an 
alcove,  he  pulled  down  a  dozen  ponderous  tomes,  one  of  which 
struck  him  on  the  forehead  with  such  force  that  he  fell  pros- 
trate. An  assistant  librarian,  who  hastened  to  the  old  gentle- 
man's assistance,  found  him  slightly  stunned  by  the  fall  but 
he  soon  recovered  and  declined  to  be  aided  to  his  feet,  saying 
with  a  merry  twinkle  in  his  eye,  *  I've  laid  down  the  law  out 
of  the  law  books  many  a  time  in  my  long  life,  but  this  is  the 

'Annals  21:  2587.  ^  Annals  23:  130.  5Annals23:   1116. 

"Annals  23:   1 105-1107,  1 1 16.        ■•Annals  24:  2362.  'Page  43. 


58  GROWTH    OF   THE   LIBRARY,   1805-1814. 

first  time  they  have  laid  me  down.'  And  he  remained  seated 
upon  the  floor,  surrounded  by  the  books  which  he  had  pulled 
down,  until  he  found  what  he  sought  and  made  a  note  thereof." 

RULES  OF  THE  LIBRARY  BEFORE  1814. 

In  the  catalogue  of  the  Library  published  in  1808  the  fol- 
lowing Rules  and  Regulations  to  be  obser\'ed  in  the  Library 
of  Congress  are  to  be  found: 

I.  The  Library  shall  be  open  every  day  during  the  session  of  Congress, 
and  for  one  week  preceding  and  subsequent  thereto,  Sundays  excepted, 
from  9  o'clock  in  the  morning  to  3  in  the  afternoon,  and  from  5  o'clock 
to  7  in  the  evening. 

II.  In  the  recess  of  Congress,  it  shall  be  opened  three  days  in  every 
week,  during  the  hours  aforesaid,  to  wit,  on  Tuesday,  Thursdaj-,  and 
Saturday. 

III.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Librarian  to  label  and  number  the 
books,  place  them  on  the  shelves,  and  preserve  due  lists  and  catalogues 
of  the  same.  He  shall  also  keep  due  account  and  register  of  all  issues 
and  returns  of  books  as  the  same  shall  be  made,  together  with  regular 
accounts  of  all  expenses  incident  to  the  said  Library  and  which  are 
authorized  bj-  law. 

IV.  Books,  to  be  issued  by  the  Librarian  pursuant  to  law,  shall  be 
returned  as  follows:  A  folio  within  three  weeks,  a  quarto  within  two 
weeks,  an  octavo  or  duodecimo  within  one  week,  and  no  member  shall 
receive  more  than  one  folio,  one  quarto,  or  two  octavos  or  duodecimos 
within  the  terms  aforesaid,  unless  where  so  connected  as  to  be  otherwise 
useless. 

V.  For  all  books  issued'  a  receipt  or  note  shall  be  given,  of  double  the 
value  thereof  as  near  as  can  be  estimated,  conditioned  to  return  the  same 
undefaced  within  the  term  above  mentioned  or  to  forfeit  the  amount  of 
.such  note;  at  the  expiration  of  which,  unless  application  has  been  made 
by  another  person  for  the  same  book  and  the  Librarian  requested  to  take 
memorandum  thereof,  the  said  Librarian,  upon  the  books  being  pro- 
duced to  him,  may  renew  the  issue  of  the  same  for  the  time  and  on  the 
conditions  aforesaid:  Provided,  That  every  receipt  or  note  shall  con- 
tain a  further  forfeiture  or  penalty  for  every  day's  detention  of  a  book 
beyond  the  specified  term — that  is  to  say,  for  a  folio,  $3  per  day;  a  quarto, 
$2  per  day;  an  octavo,  $1  per  da3^''  which  forfeiture  or  penalty  may,  for 
good  cau.se,  be  remitted  b}'  the  President  of  the  Senate  and  Speaker  of 
the  House  of  Representatives,  for  the  time  being,  in  whole  or  in  part,  as 
the  case  may  require. 

'Rules  of  181 2:  "  to  any  person,  except  a  member  of  Congress." 
*  Rules  of  1812:  Folio,  |i;  quarto,  50  cents;  octavo,  25  cents  per  day.     Rules  of 
1816;  Folio,  20  cents;  quarto,  10  cents;  octavo,  5  cents. 


RULES   OF  THE   LIBRARY   BEFORE    1814.  59 

VI.  When  a  member  shall  prefer  to  take  a  book  for  the  limited  time 
without  removing  it  from  the  Library,  he  shall  be  allowed  to  do  so  with- 
out giving  a  receipt  or  note  for  the  same,  and  to  preserve  his  priority  for 
the  use  of  such  book  for  the  time  limited,  in  like  manner  as  if  he  had 
withdrawn  the  book  from  the  Library  and  given  a  receipt  or  note  there- 
for. And  the  Librarian  shall  keep  due  account  and  entrj'  of  all  such 
cases. 

VII.  Books  returned  shall  be  delivered  to  the  Librarian  to  be  exam- 
ined whether  damaged  or  not. 

VIII.  If  a  book  be  returned  damaged,  the  party  returning  it  shall  not 
be  entitled  to  receive  another  until  the  damage  for  the  first  shall  be 
satisfied. 

IX.  No  book  shall  be  issued  within  one  week '  of  the  termination  of 
any  session  of  Congress. 

X.  All  books  shall  be  returned  three  days"  before  the  close  of  the  ses- 
sion, whether  the  time  allowed  for  the  use  thereof  be  expired  or  not. 

Rules  and  regulations  to  be  observed  in  the  Library  of  Congress  for  issuing,  disposing, 
and  safe-keeping  of  the  laws  ajid journals  of  Congress,  deposited  in  the  said  Library, 
pursuant  to  the  act  of  Congress  of  the  2d  offanuary,  1805. 

I.  During  a  session  of  Congress  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  and 
Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives  shall,  on  their  respective  respon- 
sibility, be  entitled  to  receive  for  the  use  of  their  respective  Houses,  that 
is  to  say,  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  six  sets  of  the  said  laws  and  jour- 
nals and  the  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives  eight  sets;  those  for 
the  Senate  to  be  distributed,  one  set  for  the  President's  table,  two  sets 
for  the  Secretary's  table,  and  the  other  three  sets  for  committees  of  the 
Senate;  those  for  the  House  of  Representatives,  one  set  for  the  Speaker's 
table,  two  sets  for  the  Clerk's  table,  and  one  set  for  each  of  the  standing 
committees  of  the  House;  which  sets  of  laws  and  journals  shall  be  duly 
returned  to  the  library  by  the  said  Secretary  and  Clerk  within  three 
days  after  the  close  of  the  session  for  which  they  .shall  be  drawn. 

II.  Whenever  any  person  authorized  thereto  by  law  (except  the  Pres- 
ident of  the  United  States),^  shall  receive  from  the  Library  a  set  of  the 
said  laws  and  journals,  he  shall  give  receipt  therefor  to  the  Librarian, 
conditioned  to  return  the  same  undefaced  to  the  Library  three  days" 
before  the  close  of  that  session  of  Congress  for  which  they  shall  be 
drawn,  under  a  penalty  of  double  the  value  of  each  volume  of  the  laws 
or  journals  received,  that  is  to  .say,  for  each  volume  of  the  laws  and  jour- 
nals valued  at  $2.50  per  volume,  in  a  penalty  of  $5  per  volume. 

III.  One  set  of  the  said  laws  and  journals  .shall  be  delivered  by  the 
Librarian  to  the  President  of  the  United  States  for  his  own  use  and  for 
the  use  of  his  successors  in  office,  the  President  filing  with  the  Librarian 
a  written  acknowledgment  of  the  receipt  of  the  same. 

'  Rules  of  1812:  "ten  clays."  ^Rules  of  1812:  "and  members  of  Congress." 

'Rules  of  1812:  "five  days." 


6o  GROWTH   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1805-1814. 

IV.  It  sliall  be  the  duty  of  the  Librarian  to  provide,  at  pubHc  expense, 
a  number  of  suitable  boxes,  equal  to  the  number  of  individuals  hereby- 
authorized  to  receive  from  the  Library  sets  of  the  said  laws  and  journals, 
each  box  to  be  provided  with  a  lock  and  key,  and  delivered  on  applica- 
tion for  the  use  of  such  persons  as  may  draw  in  the  manner  aforesaid, 
in  which  to  deposit  and  safely  keep  the  books  so  by  them  respectively 
received,  which  boxes  shall  be  returned  to  the  Library  together  with  the 
books  at  the  time  and  in  the  manner  limited  by  the  rules  aforesaid.' 

In  addition  to  these  14  rules  the  following  are  added  in  the 
Catalogue  of  the  Library  published  in  181 2: 

XV.  There  shall  be  retained  in  the  Library  all  charts  (the  case  of 
maps  being  specified  in  the  act  of  January  26,  1802),  plans  of  fortifica- 
tions, buildings,  or  other  designs  in  manuscript;  volumes  of  plates  or 
engravings;  books  accompanying  the  charts,  plates  or  engravings;  tables 
of  chronology;  volumes  of  newspapers;  one  set  of  the  volumes  of  any 
encyclopedia  or  dictionary  of  the  arts;  one  set  of  the  volumes  of  any 
geographical  work,  gazetteers,  dictionaries  of  languages.  Of  the  above 
none  shall  be  taken  from  the  Library,  by  any  person,  without  special 
permission  in  writing  from  the  President  of  the  Senate  and  Speaker  of 
the  House  of  Representatives,  except  in  cases  where  the  presiding  ofl&cer 
of  either  House  may  require  any  of  them  for  the  immediate  use  of  the 
House. 

XVI.  The  previous  approbation  of  the  President  of  the  Senate  and 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  shall  be  obtained  for  the  pur- 
chase of  articles  for  the  use  of  the  Library,  to  be  charged  upon  the  con- 
tingent fund  of  the  two  Houses. 

XVII.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Librarian,  four  daj^s  before  the 
termination  of  every  session  of  Congress,  to  present  to  any  member  of 
Congress  a  list  of  the  books  which  he  has  received  from  the  Library  and 
not  returned. 

XVIII.  The  Librarian  shall,  three  days  before  the  termination  of 
every  session  of  Congress,  furnish  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives and  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  with  a  list  of  the  names  of 
such  members  of  Congress  as  shall  not  have  returned  the  books  received 
from  the  Library,  together  with  a  description  and  value  of  such  books, 
and  also  of  the  value  of  the  set  to  which  they  belong,  and  of  the  amount 
of  fines  with  which  they  stand  charged;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the 
Speaker  in  settling  the  accounts  of  any  such  Representative,  and  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Senate  in  settling  the  accounts  of  any  such  Senator,  to 
retain  a  sum  equal  to  double  the  value  of  the  books  retained,  and  if  they 
shall  form  a  part  of  a  set,  then  double  the  value  of  the  whole  set;  and 
also  a  sum  equal  to  the  fines  with  which  such  member  may  stand  charged. 

'  The  last  rule  was  rescinded  by  the  rules  of  January  i,  1816. 


RULES   OF  THE   LIBRARY   BEFORE    1814.  61 

XIX.  Whenever  any  Senator  or  Representative  shall  obtain  leave  of 
absence  for  the  remainder  of  any  session  of  Congress,  it  shall  be  the  duty 
of  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  or  of  the  Secretary  of 
the  Senate,  as  the  case  may  be,  to  ascertain  of  the  Librarian  whether 
such  Senator  or  Representative  shall  have  returned  the  books  which  he 
may  have  received  from  the  Library  and  have  paid  the  fines  which  may 
have  been  incurred  by  him;  and  in  case  of  failure  the  same  deduction 
shall  be  made  in  the  settlement  of  the  accounts  of  such  Senator  or  Rep- 
resentative as  are  directed  in  the  eighteenth  rule. 

XX.  The  Librarian  shall  collect  all  fines  and  forfeitures  accruing  upon 
notes  given  for  books  taken  from  the  Library. 

XXI.  All  moneys  arising  from  fines  and  forfeitures  shall  constitute  a 
part  of  the  Library-  fund  and  shall  be  paid,  when  required,  to  the  joint 
committee  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress  who  are  charged  with  the  dis- 
position of  that  fund. 

XXII.  The  Librarian  shall,  during  the  first  week  of  every  session, 
present  to  the  joint  committee  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress  charged 
with  the  disposition  of  the  Library  fund  an  accurate  statement  of  all 
moneys  received  during  the  preceding  year  arising  from  fines  and  for- 
feitures under  the  foregoing  rules. 

Upon  considering  the  subject  of  rules  proper  to  be  observ-ed  in  the 
Library   of   Congress,   and   examining   and   revising   those   heretofore 
adopted,  we  do  order  and  direct  that  the  foregoing  be  observed. 
(Signed)  Wm.  H.  Crawford, 

President  of  the  Senate  pro  tempore. 

H.   Cl.AY, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
December  4,  181 2. 


THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  OLD   LIBRARY  AND  THE 
PURCHASE  OF  THE  JEFFERSON  LIBRARY 


63 


Chapter  Four. 

the  destruction  of  the  old  library  and  the 
purchase  of  the  jefferson  library. 

In  the  latter  part  of  July,  1814,  being  compelled  by  an 
indisposition  to  seek  recreation,  Librarian  Magruder  left 
Washington  for  the  Virginia  Springs.  The  newly  appointed 
assistant  librarian,  J.  T.  Frost,  remained  in  charge  of  the 
Library  for  the  purpose  of  opening  and  airing  the  books. 
About ;  the .  middle  of  August  the  British  army  appeared  in 
the  Chesapeake,  and  on  the  19th  the  whole  body  of  the  militia 
of  the  District  of  Columbia  was  called  out,  under  which  call 
every  clerk  in  the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives was  taken  into  the  field.  Assistant  Librarian  Frost 
was  not,  however,  comprehended  in  this  order,  being  over  the 
age  prescribed  by  law  for  militia  service.  On  the  19th,  20th, 
2ist,  and  2 2d  the  removal  of  the  papers  belonging  to  the 
other  departments  was  effected,  but  not  until  the  afternoon  of 
the  last  day  was  anything  done  toward  the  removal  of  the 
Library  of  Congress.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  21st  Mr. 
Burch,  of  the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  House,  was  furloughed 
by  Brigadier-General  Smith,  at  the  request  of  the  chief  clerk 
of  the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  House,  Col.  George  Magruder, 
and  on  the  night  of  the  same  day  returned  to  the  city  to  take 
care  of  and  assist  in  saving  such  parts  of  the  books  in  the 
Library  of  Congress  and  papers  in  the  office  of  the  Clerk 
of  the  House  as  he  could,  in  case  the  enemy  should  get 
possession  of  the  place.  His  orders  from  Colonel  Magruder 
were  not  to  begin  packing  up  until  it  was  ascertained  that 
the  clerks  at  the  War  Department  were  doing  so.  It  was 
not  until  12  o'clock  on  Monday,  the  2 2d,  that  Burch  and 
Frost  were  informed  that  the  clerks  at  the  War  Office  had 
begun  to  move  the  effects  of  that  office,  although  they  were 
subsequently  told  that  the  moving  had  commenced  the  day 
before.  The  two  men  immediatel}^  began  packing  up,  and 
23399—04 — 5  65 


66  PURCHASE  OF  THE  JEFFERSON  LIBRARY. 

Mr.  Burcli  went  out  in  search  of  wagons  or  other  carriages 
for  the  transportation  of  the  books  and  papers.  Every  wagon 
and  almost  every  cart  in  the  city  had  been  previously 
impressed  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  for  the  trans- 
portation of  the  baggage  of  the  Army.  The  few  he  was  able 
to  find  were  loaded  with  the  private  effects  of  individuals  who 
were  moving  without  the  city.  These  he  attempted  to  hire; 
not  succeeding,  he  claimed  a  right  to  impress  them,  but  hav- 
ing no  legal  authority  or  military  force  to  aid  him  he  failed. 
He  then  sent  off  three  messengers  into  the  country,  one  of 
whom  obtained  from  Mr.  John  Wilson,  whose  residence  was  six 
miles  from  the  city,  the  use  of  a  cart  with  four  oxen.  This  did 
not  arrive  at  the  Capitol  until  after  dark,  but  was  immediately 
loaded  with  the  most  valuable  records  and  papers  and  driven 
nine  miles  the  same  night  to  a  safe  and  secret  place  in  the 
country.  He  continued  to  remove  as  many  of  the  more 
valuable  books  and  papers  as  he  was  able  to  with  one  cart 
until  Wednesday  morning,  the  da}''  of  the  battle  of  Bladens- 
burg,  after  which  he  was  unable  to  take  away  anything 
further.' 

That  same  evening  the  enemy  entered  Washington  and  set 
fire  to  the  Capitol.  In  the  conflagration  which  followed  the 
interior  of  the  west  room  was  practically  destroyed.  As  the 
surveyor  of  the  Capitol  said:  "The  whole  of  the  interior  of 
the  west  side  having  been  constructed  of  timber,  and  the  old 
shingle  roof  still  remaining  over  the  greatest  part  of  the  wing, 
an  intensity  of  heat  was  produced,  which  burned  the  walls  most 
exposed  to  it,  and  being  driven  by  the  wind  into  the  Senate 
Chamber  burned  the  marble  columns  to  lime,  cracked  every- 
thing that  was  of  freestone,  and  finding  vent  through  the 
windows  and  up  the  private  stairs  damaged  the  exterior  of  the 
wing  very  materially."^ 

■  LeUer  from  Patrick  Magruder,  detailing  the  facts  in  relation  to  the  destruction 
of  the  office  of  the  House. — September  22,  1814,  Thirteenth  Congress,  third  session. 
House  Document  No.  2. 

'Report  of  the  surveyor  of  the  Capitol,  Fourteenth  Congress,  second  session. 
Senate  report  No.  roi,  February  14,  1817.  National  Ititelligencer,  March  12,  1818, 
on  the  destruction  of  the  printed  journals  of  Congress;  see  also  Sixteenth  Congress, 
first  session.  Senate  report  No.  119,  April  25,  1820,  on  the  destruction  of  the  printed 
journals  of  the  Senate  in  the  conflagration  of  1814;  and  a  letter  to  a  gentleman  in 
Philadelphia  on  the  condition  of  the  Capitol  after  the  fire,  printed  in  the  Philadelphia 
Aurora,  December  12,  1814. 


THE   HOUSE   INVESTIGATION.  d'] 

THE    HOUSE   INVESTIGATION. 

According  to  tradition  the  Library  was  entirely  consumed 
in  this  conflagration.  As  we  have  seen,  however,  several 
loads  of  books  were  saved  by  having  been  removed  to  a  place 
of  safety  before  the  capture  of  the  city,  and  with  regard  to 
the  Library  as  a  whole  Burch  and  Frost  made  the  following 
statement:  "A  number  of  the  printed  books  were  consumed, 
but  they  were  all  duplicates  of  those  which  have  been  pre- 
served." This  would  seem  to  indicate  that  all  of  the  Library 
which  was  of  value  was  thus  saved.  On  the  other  hand 
the  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  communication  of 
Patrick  Magruder  relati\"e  to  the  destruction  of  the  Library, 
reported  through  Mr.  Joseph  Pearson,  December  12,  1814, 
"that  the}^  have  satisfactory  evidence  that  the  Library  of 
Congress,  consisting  of  volumes  agreeably  to  the  catalogue 
herewith  submitted,  was  destroyed  by  the  enemy  on  the  24th 
of  August  last."  In  answer  to  this,  Magruder,  on  the  19th 
of  December,  communicated  to  the  House  the  following  let- 
ter from  the  assistant  librarian: 

December  17,  1814. 
Sir:  On  examining  the  report  of  the  committee  appointed  on  the  sub- 
ject of  your  communication  to  the  House  of  the  20th  of  September  last, 
I  find  that  the  committee  admit  that,  after  the  21st  of  August,  the  difl&- 
cult}'  of  procuring  teams  for  the  removal  of  the  books,  papers,  etc.,  from 
5' our  office  was  so  great  as  to  justify  a  belief  that  all  was  done  after  that 
period  which  could  (with  the  means  we  possessed)  have  been  expected. 
But  the  committee  states  that  measures  preparatory  for  a  removal  had 
not  been  taken.  On  that  head  I  can  only  say  that,  on  Monday,  the 
2 2d  of  August  last,  if  carriages  for  the  conveyance  of  the  books,  etc., 
could  have  been  obtained,  they  were  in  a  situation  to  be  immediately 
removed;  the  several  loads  which  were  saved  were  taken  from  the  shelves 
on  which  they  were  placed  and  deposited  in  the  carts  by  which  they  were 
taken  away;  they  have  suffered  no  injury,  and  to  have  procured  boxes 
or  trunks  to  pack  them  in,  if  that  plan  had  been  preferred,  would  have 
been  utterly  impossible. 

Your  obedient  servant,  J.  T.  Frost. 

In  conclusion  the  committee  replied:  ''The  error  or  negli- 
gence consisted  not  so  much  in  dela3ang  to  pack  up  the  effects 
of  the  office  till  the  2 2d  of  August  as  the  neglect  to  provide 
the  means  of  transportation,  which  might  have  been  done  by 


68  PURCHASE  OF  THE  JEFFERSON  LIBRARY. 

the  clerk  who  remained  in  the  office,  or  any  agent  employed 
for  that  purpose."  '  On  the  28th  of  January,  1815,  Mr.  Magru- 
der  communicated  to  the  House  his  resignation  as  Clerk  of 
that  body.' 

The  indignation  felt  by  Congress  at  the  destruction  of  the 
Library,  and  vented  by  that  body  upon  the  unfortunate 
Librarian,  was  shared  by  all  lovers  of  literature  and  learning. 
Not  since  the  burning  of  the  Alexandrian  library  by  the 
Mohammedans,  it  was  said,  had  such  a  deed  been  perpetrated. 
English  newspapers,  too,  condemned  the  act,  among  them 
the  editor  of  a  newspaper  published  at  Nottingham,  who,  in 
speaking  of  the  burning  of  the  Library,  said  that  it  was  "an 
act  without  example  in  modem  wars  or  in  any  other  wars 
since  the  inroads  of  the  barbarians  who  conflagrated  Rome 
and  overthrew  the  Roman  Empire."^  And  General  Ross 
himself  is  said  to  have  lamented  the  destruction  of  the  Library. 
"Had  I  known  it  in  time,"  said  he,  "the  books  most  certainly 
should  have  been  saved."'* 

OFFER   OF   THE   JEFFERSON   LIBRARY   TO   CONGRESS. 

On  the  29th  of  September,  18 14,  the  President  of  the  Sen- 
ate presented  a  letter  from  the  President  of  the  Washington 
Library,  with  a  resolution  of  the  directors,  offering  the  use  of 
that  librar}^  to  the  members  of  Congress.  On  the  30th  he 
communicated  a  letter  from  Richards  &  Mallory,  booksellers 
of  Georgetown,  offering  the  use  of  their  books  to  the  members 
of  the  Senate.^  On  the  7th  of  October,  18 14,  the  Joint  Librar}^ 
Committee,  through  Mr.  Goldsborough,  presented  to  the  Sen- 
ate an  offer  from  Thomas  Jefferson  of  the  whole  of  his  library 
for  Congress  upon  such  terms  as  the}'  might  choose. 

Thomas  Jefferson  had  made  donations  to  the  old  Library 

'Thirteenth  Congress,  third  session,  House  report  No.  45,  January  16,  1815. 

^'American  State  Papers,  Miscellaneous,  2:  267,  268. 

'This  incident  is  noticed  in  the  Philadelphia  Aurora,  October  18,  1S15,  with  this 
additional  observation:  "The  printer  was  proscribed  for  this  as  a  libel  and  has  been 
condemned  to  such  punishment  as  is  usually  inflicted  on  the  most  abandoned  vil- 
lains. The  English  Government  is  determined  to  maintain  its  character."  This 
was  copied  by  the  Essex  Register,  Salem,  October  28. 

■•Ingersoll,  Historical  sketch  of  the  second  war  between  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain,  Philadelphia,  1849,  2:  190. 

5  Annals  28:  18,  20. 


THOMAS  JEFFERSON. 


History  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  vol.  i,  plate- rj. 


OFFER   OF   THE   JEFFERSON   LIBRARY.  69 

of  Congress,  and  lie  liad  drawn  up  the  list  of  desiderata  which 
had  formed  the  basis  for  the  earlier  purchases  of  the  Library. 
At  the  same  time  he  was  collecting  a  library  of  his  own. 
This,  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Thomas  Cooper,  dated  January  16, 
1814,  he  described  as  probably  the  best  chosen  collection  of 
its  size  in  America,  and  at  the  same  time  expressed  the  hope 
that  it  might  finally  become  the  library  of  the  projected 
University  of  Virginia'  as  he  had  before  expressed  the 
hope  to  Madison  that  it  might  become  the  library  of  the 
National  University  if  the  plans  for  such  an  establishment 
should  ever  be  realized/ 

The  loss  of  the  old  Library  of  Congress,  however,  presented 
a  better  opportunity  for  the  disposition  of  his  library  than 
either  of  those  which  he  had  suggested.  Upon  hearing  of 
the  disaster,  accordingly,  he  tendered  the  offer  of  his  library 
to  Congress  through  his  friend  Samuel  Harrison  Smith, 
September  21,  18 14. 

His  letter  to  Mr.  Smith  was  as  follows:  "  I  am  imposing  a 
task  on  your  friendship  which  needs  much  apolog}^  and  will 
be  explained  in  the  letter  accompan3dng  this.  It  is  to  offer 
my  library  to  the  Library  Committee  of  Congress.  I  would 
not  have  trespassed  on  your  time  so  much  but  that  I  hope  it 
will  give  you  little  trouble.  The  delivery  of  the  accompany- 
ing letter  (which  is  written  separately  with  that  view)  and  the 
catalogue  will  enable  them  to  give  you  their  yea  or  nay.  As 
the  subject,  however,  can  not  but  be  interesting,  and  I  shall 
feel  anxiety  until  I  know  their  inclinations,  you  would  greatly 
oblige  me  by  informing  me  of  them  as  soon  as  you  can  form 
a  probable  conjecture  what  they  are  likely  to  decide."  ^ 

The  communication  submitted  to  Congress  which  accom- 
panied this  letter  was  as  follows: 

Dear  Sir:  I  learn  from  the  newspapers  that  the  vandalism  of  our 
enemy  has  triumphed  at  Washington  over  science  as  well  as  the  arts  by 
the  destruction  of  the  public  library  with  the  noble  edifice  in  which  it 
was  deposited.  Of  this  transaction,  as  of  that  of  Copenhagen,  the  world 
will  entertain  but  one  sentiment.  They  will  see  a  nation  suddenl)'  with- 
drawn from  a  great  war,  full  armed  and  full  handed,  taking  advantage 

'  Writings  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  1854,6:  294. 
"Jefferson  to  Madison,  October  6,  1809,  Madison  MSS. 
3J.  Henley  Smith  MvSS. 


70  PURCHASE   OF  THE   JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

of  another  whom  they  had  recently  forced  into  it,  unarmed  and  unpre- 
pared to  indulge  themselves  in  acts  of  barbarism  which  do  not  belong  to 
a  civilized  age.  When  Van  Ghent  destroyed  their  shipping  at  Chatham, 
and  De  Ruyter  rode  triumphantly  up  the  Thames,  he  might  in  like 
manner,  by  the  acknowledgment  of  their  own  historians,  have  forced  all 
their  ships  up  to  London  bridge,  and  there  have  burned  them,  the  tower, 
the  city,  had  these  examples  been  then  set.  lyondon,  when  thus  men- 
aced, was  near  a  thousand  3^ears  old;  Washington  is  but  in  its  teens. 
I  presume  it  will  be  among  the  early  objects  of  Congress  to  recommence 
their  collection.  This  will  be  difficult  while  the  war  continues,  and  inter- 
course with  Europe  is  attended  with  so  much  risk.  You  know  my  col- 
lection, its  condition  and  extent.  I  have  been  fifty  years  making  it,  and 
have  spared  no  pains,  opportunity^  or  expense,  to  make  it  what  it  is. 
While  residing  in  Paris,  I  devoted  every  afternoon  I  was  disengaged, 
for  a  summer  or  two  in  examining  all  the  principal  bookstores,  turning 
over  every  book  with  mj^  own  hand,  and  putting  by  everything  which 
related  to  America,  and  indeed  whatever  was  rare  and  valuable  in  every 
science.  Besides  this,  I  had  standing  orders  during  the  whole  time  I 
was  in  Europe,  on  its  principal  book-marts,  particularly  Amsterdam, 
Frankfort,  Madrid,  and  London,  for  such  works  relating  to  America  as 
could  not  be  found  in  Paris.  So  that,  in  that  department  particularly, 
such  a  collection  was  made  as  probably  can  never  again  be  effected, 
because  it  is  hardly  probable  that  the  same  opportunities,  the  same  time, 
industrj^  perseverance  and  expense,  with  the  same  knowledge  of  the 
bibliography  of  the  subject  would  again  happen  to  be  in  concurrence. 
During  the  same  period,  and  after  my  return  to  America,  I  was  led  to 
procure,  also,  whatever  related  to  the  duties  of  those  in  the  high  con- 
cerns of  the  nation.  So  that  the  collection,  which  I  suppose  is  of 
between  nine  and  ten  thousand  volumes,  while  it  includes  what  is  chiefly 
valuable  in  science  and  literature  generall}-,  extends  more  particularly 
to  whatever  belongs  to  the  American  statesman.  In  the  diplomatic  and 
parliamentary  branches,  it  is  particularly^  full.  It  is  long  since  I  have 
been  sensible  it  ought  not  to  continue  private  propertj^  and  had  provided 
that  at  my  death.  Congress  should  have  the  refusal  of  it  at  their  own 
price.  The  loss  they  have  now  incurred,  makes  the  present  the  proper 
moment  for  their  accommodation,  without  regard  to  the  small  remnant 
of  time  and  the  barren  use  of  my  enjoying  it.  I  ask  of  your  friendship, 
therefore,  to  make  for  me  the  tender  of  it  to  the  Library  Committee  of 
Congress,  not  knowing  myself  of  whom  the  committee  consists.  I 
enclose  you  the  catalogue,  which  will  enable  them  to  judge  of  its  con- 
tents. Nearly  the  whole  are  well  bound,  abundance  of  them  elegantly, 
and  of  the  choicest  editions  existing.  They  may  be  valued  by  persons 
named  by  themselves,  and  the  payment  made  convenient  to  the  public. 
It  may  be,  for  instance,  in  such  annual  installments  as  the  law  of  Con- 
gress has  left  at  their  disposal,  or  in  stock  of  an}'  of  their  late  loans,  or 


OFFER   OF   THE   JEFFERSON   LIBRARY.  7 1 

of  any  loan  the}-  may  institute  at  this  session,  so  as  to  spare  the  present 
calls  of  our  country  and  await  its  days  of  peace  and  prosperity.  They 
may  enter,  nevertheless,  into  immediate  use  of  it,  as  eighteen  or  twenty 
wagons  would  place  it  in  Washington  in  a  single  trip  of  a  fortnight. 

I  should  be  willing,  indeed,  to  retain  a  few  of  the  books,  to  amuse  the 
time  I  have  yet  to  pass,  which  might  be  valued  with  the  rest,  but  not 
included  in  the  sum  of  valuation  until  they  should  be  restored  at  my 
death,  which  I  would  carefully  provide  for,  so  that  the  whole  library  as 
it  stands  in  the  catalogue  at  this  moment  should  be  theirs  without  anj' 
garbling.  Those  I  should  like  to  retain  would  be  chiefly  classical  and 
mathematical.  Some  few  in  other  branches,  and  particularly  one  of  the 
five  enc3'clopedias  in  the  catalogue.  But  this,  if  not  acceptable,  would 
not  be  urged.  I  must  add,  that  I  have  not  revised  the  library  since  I 
came  home  to  live,  so  that  it  is  probable  .some  of  the  books  may  be 
missing,  except  in  the  chapters  of  I,aw  and  Divinity,  which  have  been 
revised  and  .stand  exactl}'  as  in  the  catalogue.  The  return  of  the  cata- 
logue will  of  course  be  needed,  whether  the  tender  be  accepted  or  not. 

I  do  not  know  that  it  contains  anj'  branch  of  science  which  Congress 
would  wi.sh  to  exclude  from  their  collection ;  there  is,  in  fact,  no  sub- 
ject to  which  a  member  of  Congress  may  not  have  occasion  to  refer. 
But  such  a  wish  would  not  correspond  with  my  views  of  preventing  its 
dismemberment.  My  desire  is  either  to  place  it  in  their  hands  entire,  or 
to  preserve  it  so  here.  I  am  engaged  in  making  an  alphabetical  index 
of  the  authors'  names,  to  be  annexed  to  the  catalogue,  which  I  will  for- 
ward to  you  as  soon  as  completed.  Any  agreement  3'ou  shall  be  so  good 
as  to  take  the  trouble  of  entering  into  with  the  committee,  I  hereby 
confirm.' 

On  the  24tli  of  September  he  wrote  to  President  Madison* 
and  to  James  Monroe^  also,  acquainting  them  with  his  offer, 
and  asking  for  their  support. 

In  response  Mr.  Smith  wrote  to  Jefferson  October  7,  1814:'* 

It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  j-our  favor  of 
the  2 1  St  ultimo,  which  from  some  ca.sualty  did  not  reach  me  until  the 
2d  instant.  *  *  ^-  The  Library  that  is  lost,  was  valuable  and  was  the 
commencement  of  an  institution  fitted  in  its  nativit}^  to  be  the  pride  and 
ornament  of  our  country.  But  valuable  as  it  was,  if  replaced  by  your 
collection,  the  loss  will  be  more  than  supplied.  Being  somewhat  of  an 
enthusiast  as  to  the  benefits  that  arise  from  such  institutions,  I  could 

'J.  Henley  Smith  MSS.,  printed  in  the  Writings  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  edited  by 
P.  ly.  Ford,  9:  4S5-488,  and  numerous  other  places. 

"^  Writings  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  1854,  6:  387. 

3  Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  58,  No.  91.  See  also  Jefferson  to  David  B.  Warden, 
February  27,  1815,  Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  87,  No.  149. 

4 Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  78,  No.  28, 


72  PURCHASE  OF  THE  JEFFERSON  LIBRARY. 

only  liail  the  prospect  of  seeing  so  broad  a  foundation  laid  for  a  national 
one  on  a  scale  of  expanding  grandeur. 

I  submitted,  without  delaj^  your  letter  and  catalogue  to  the  lyibrary 
Committee  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress.  That  of  the  Senate  consists 
of  Messrs.  Goldsborough,  Tait,  and  Fromentin,  and  that  of  the  Repre- 
sentatives of  Messrs.  Seybert,  lyowndes,  and  Gaston.  The  tender  was 
respectfully  received  by  both  committees,  with  the  assurance  that  no 
time  should  be  lost  in  acting  upon  it.  They  each  expressed  the  opinion 
that  the  committee  could  not  go  further  than  to  recommend  to  their 
Houses  such  steps  as  they  should  on  consultation  consider  advisable, 
and  promised  to  inform  me  of  the  course  determined  on.  I  have  made 
several  other  members  acquainted  with  the  offer  made  by  you,  and  have 
been  happy  to  find  that  it  is  highly  appreciated  by  them  and  will  receive 
their  warm  support. 

I  perceive  no  obstacle  to  its  acceptance,  but  the  pending  proposition 
to  remove  the  seat  of  Government.  I  fear  that  many  of  those  who  are 
interested  in  this  measure,  will  consider  the  possession  of  such  a  library 
as  depriving  them  of  a  strong  argument  in  favor  of  removal  and  hence 
will  be  apt  b}'  delaj^  or  evasion,  to  keep  back  its  consideration.  Should 
this  prove  to  be  the  case,  I  submit  to  you  the  policy  of  permitting  a 
publication  of  your  letters.     -''     *     * 

P.  S.  I  am  just  advised  by  Mr.  Goldsborough  that  the  joint  commit- 
tee have  reported  a  resolution  empowering  them  to  contract  for  the 
purchase  of  the  library. 

Madison  replied  to  Jefferson's  letter,  October  lo:  "Your 
favor  of  tlie  24tli  ultimo  came  duly  to  hand.  I  learn  tliat 
tlie  Library  Committee  will  report  favorably  on  your  propo- 
sition to  supply  the  loss  of  books  by  Congress.  It  will  prove 
a  gain  to  them  if  they  have  the  wisdom  to  replace  it  by  such 
a  collection  as  yours." ' 

And  Monroe  likewise  responded,  October  lo,  promising  to 
use  his  influence  in  promoting  the  negotiation.^ 

THE  QUESTION   OF   PURCHASE    IN   CONGRESS. 

On  the  7th  of  October  the  Joint  Committee  reported  in  the 
Senate  (by  Mr.  Goldsborough),  as  follows: 

That  they  have  received  from  Mr.  Samuel  H.  Smith  an  offer  from 
Mr.  Jefferson,  late  President  of  the  United  States,  of  the  whole  of  his 
library  for  Congress,  on  such  terms  as  they  consider  highly  advantageous 
to  the  nation,  and  worthy  the  distinguished  gentleman  who  tenders  it. 

'Writings  of  Madison,  1865,  2:  588. 

=  Writings  of  James  Monroe,  editerl  by  S.  M.  Hamilton,  1901,  5:  299. 


THE   QUESTION   OF   PURCHASE   IN   CONGRESS.  73 

But  the  means  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  committee  being  very  limited, 
and  totally  inadequate  to  the  purchase  of  such  a  library  as  that  now 
offered,  the  committee  must  have  recourse  to  Congress  either  to  extend 
their  powers,  or  adopt  such  other  as  they  may  think  most  proper. 

Should  it  be  the  sense  of  Congress  to  confide  this  matter  to  the  com- 
mittee, they  respectfully  submit  the  following  resolution: 

Resolved,  by  the  Senate  and  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America  in  Coiigress  assembled,  That  the  Joint  Library  Com- 
mittee of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress  be,  and  they  are  hereby,  authorized 
and  empowered  to  contract,  on  their  part,  for  the  purchase  of  the  library 
of  Mr.  Jefferson,  late  President  of  the  United  States,  for  the  use  of  both 
Houses  of  Congress.' 

On  October  10  Mr.  Goldsborough,  chairman  of  tlie  Joint 
Library  Committee,  communicated  a  letter  from  Samuel  H. 
Smith,  esq.,  inclosing  Mr.  Jefferson's  letter  tendering  the 
disposition  of  his  library  to  Congress,  Then  the  resolution 
reported  by  the  committee,  authorizing  the  Library  Com- 
mittee to  contract  for  the  purchase  of  the  library  of  Mr. 
Jefferson,  was  discussed,  as  in  Committee  of  the  Whole,  and, 
no  amendment  having  been  proposed,  reported  and  passed. 

On  the  same  day  a  message  informed  the  House  of  the 
passage  of  the  resolution  in  the  Senate,  and  desired  the  con- 
currence of  the  House  therein.  On  the  nth,  accordingly, 
the  discussion  of  the  resolution  was  taken  up  in  the  House,  as 
in  Committee  of  the  Whole. ^  After  much  desultory  conver- 
sation, according  to  the  records,  as  to  the  value  of  the  library, 
the  nature  of  the  selection,  etc.,  the  committee  rose  (in  order, 
apparentl}^,  to  give  further  time  to  the  members  to  examine 
the  catalogue),  and  obtained  leave  to  sit  again.  A  week  later 
(Monday,  October  17)  the  debate  was  resumed  as  in  Commit- 
tee of  the  Whole,  Joseph  Lewis,  of  Virginia,  in  the  chair.  The 
ensuing  debate  betrayed  the  English  prepossessions  of  some, 
the  narrow  parsimony  of  others,  the  party  prejudices  of  nearly 
all.  Mr.  Oakley,  of  New  York,  moved  so  to  amend  the  reso- 
lution as  to  leave  it  open  to  the  Library  Committee  to  contract 
for  the  purchase  of  a  library  for  the  use  of  Congress.  On 
this  motion  considerable  desultory  debate  took  place,  the  pur- 
chase of   Mr.  Jefferson's  library  being  opposed  by  Messrs. 

'Thirteenth  Congress,  third  session,  Senate  report,  October  7,  1814. 
^Annals  28:  384. 


74  PURCHASE   OF  THE  JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

Oakle}^,  Joiin  Reed,  and  Grosvenor,  and  advocated  by  Messrs. 
Wright,  Seybert,  Boiling  Robertson,  Joseph  Hawkins,  and 
John  Forsyth.  The  objections  to  the  purchase  were  generally 
its  cost,  its  extent,  the  nature  of  the  selection,  and  the  number 
of  the  works  in  foreign  languages,  particularly  French,  many 
of  them  the  writings  of  Voltaire,  Rousseau,  and  other  literary 
apostles  of  the  French  Revolution;  nor  did  English  works  of 
progress  and  speculative  freedom,  such  as  Locke's,  escape 
animadversion.  Other  works  were  said  to  be  of  too  philo- 
sophical a  character,  and  some,  as  Callender's  Prospect  before 
us,  were  otherwise  objectionable. 

On  the  other  hand,  those  who  advocated  the  proposed  pur- 
chase contended  that  so  valuable  a  library,  one  so  admirably 
calculated  for  the  substratum  of  a  great  National  Library, 
was  not  to  be  obtained  in  the  United  States;  and  that 
although  there  were  possibly  some  works  to  which  gentle- 
men might  take  exception,  there  were  others  of  a  very  oppo- 
site character;  that  besides,  this  was  no  reason  against  the 
purchase,  because  in  every  library  of  value  some  books 
might  be  found  to  which  exceptions  would  be  taken,  accord- 
ing to  the  feelings  or  prejudices  of  those  who  examined 
them.  Mr.  Oakley's  motion  was  negatived  by  the  follow- 
ing vote:  For  the  amendment,  33;  against  it,  Sy. 

The  Speaker  now  resumed  the  chair,  and  Mr.  Lewis 
reported  that  the  committee  had  had  the  resolution  under 
consideration  and  had  made  no  amendment  thereto.  The 
House  then  proceeded  to  consider  the  said  resolution,  and 
despite  the  fact  that  Mr.  Jefferson  had  declined  to  dispose  of 
a  part  only  of  the  library,  a  motion  was  made  by  Mr.  King, 
of  Massachusetts,  to  amend  the  resolution  by  inserting  after 
the  word  "purchase,"  in  the  third  line,  the  words  "of  such 
part;"  and  at  the  end  of  the  resolution  to  add  the  words  "as 
they  may  judge  suitable  for  that  purpose."  This  measure 
was  designed  to  exclude  French  progressive  and  philo- 
sophical works,  and  was  supported  by  John  Reed,  Timothy 
Pickering,  Timothy  Pitkin,  Richard  Stockton,  and  Daniel 
Webster,  while  William  Gaston,  Moss  Kent  (brother  of 
Chancellor  Kent),  and  other  Federalists  opposed  it.     After 


THE   QUESTION   OF   PURCHASE   IN   CONGRESS.  75 

some  discussion  the  question  on  this  amendment  was  decided 
by  yeas  and  nays  by  the  following  vote:  For  the  amendment, 
47;  against  it,  91,  as  follows: 

Yeas. — Messrs.  Baylies  of  Massachusetts,  Bigelow,  Boyd,  Bradbury, 
Brigham,  Champion,  Cilley,  Cooper,  Cox,  Culpeper,  Davenport,  Ely, 
Farrow,  Geddes,  Goldsborough,  Grosvenor,  Hanson,  Jackson  of  Rhode 
Island,  King  of  Massachusetts,  Law,  Lewis,  Lovett,  Markell,  Miller, 
Moffitt,  Moseley,  Oakley,  Pearson,  Pickering,  Pitkin,  Post,  Potter,  John 
Reed,  Ruggles,  Schureman,  vSherwood,  Shipherd,  Smith  of  New  York, 
Stockton,  Sturges,  Vose,  Ward  of  Massachusetts,  Webster,  Wheaton, 
Wilcox,  Wilson  of  Massachusetts,  and  Winter. 

Nays. — Messrs.  Alexander,  Alston,  Archer,  Avery,  Barbour,  Bard, 
Bowen,  Bradley,  Brown,  Butler,  Cannon,  Chappell,  Clark,  Clopton, 
Condict,  Conard,  Crawford,  Creighton,  Crouch,  Cuthbert,  Dana, 
Denoyelles,  Desha,  Duvall,  Earle,  Findley,  Fisk  of  Vermont,  Fisk  of 
New  York,  Forney,  Forsyth,  Franklin,  Gaston,  Gholson,  Glasgow, 
Goodwyn,  Gourdin,  Griffin,  Hall,  Harris,  Hasbrouck,  Hawes,  Hop- 
kins of  Kentucky,  Hubbard,  Humphreys,  Hungerford,  Hulbert,  Irv- 
ing, Irwin,  Jackson  of  Virginia,  Johnson  of  Virginia,  Johnson  of 
Kentucky,  Kennedy,  Kent  of  New  York,  Kent  of  Maryland,  Kerr, 
Kershaw,  King  of  North  Carolina,  Lefferts,  Lowndes,  Lyle,  McCoy, 
McKim,  McLean,  Moore,  Nelson,  Newton,  Ormsby,  Parker,  Pickens, 
Piper,  Pleasants,  Rhea  of  Tennessee,  Rich,  Ringgold,  Roane,  Robertson, 
Sage,  Seybert,  Sharp,  Smith  of  Pennsylvania,  Smith  of  Virginia,  Stan- 
ford, Strong,  Tannehill,  Taylor,  Telfair,  Ward  of  New  Jersey,  Wilson 
of  Pennsylvania,  Wright,  and  Yancey. 

Mr.  John  Reed,  of  Massachusetts,  then  made  an  appeal  to 
the  well-known  parsimony  of  many  Republicans  by  moving 
to  amend  the  resolution  by  adding  at  the  end  of  the  same  the 
following  proviso:  ^^ Provided,  That  the  amount  thereof  shall 
not  exceed  twenty-five  thousand  dollars."  Upon  this  a  motion 
was  made  by  Mr.  Stanford  that  the  further  consideration  of 
the  resolution  be  postponed  until  the  first  Monday  in  Decem- 
ber.    This  was  negatived.' 

On  the  1 8th  the  debate  upon  the  Reed  amendment  continued 
with  considerable  vivacity.  The  amendment  was  supported 
by  Messrs.  Oakley,  of  New  York,  and  Pickering,  of  Massa- 
chusetts, and  was  opposed  by  Mr.  Forsyth  and  Mr.  John  C. 
Hulbert,  a  young  Federalist  of  the  Massachusetts  delegation, 

'See  in  addition  to  the  Journals  Charles  J.  Ingersoll'.s  History  of  the  second  war 
between  the  United  Stales  and  Great  Britain,  2(1  series.  2:  271-273. 


76  PURCHASE   OF   THE   JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

who,  in  a  maiden  .speech  of  much  force,  advocated  the  purchase 
of  the  library.  The  debate  before  its  conclusion  became 
rather  too  animated,  and  being  checked  by  the  Speaker,  the 
question  was  permitted  to  be  taken.  For  the  amendment,  37; 
against  it,  103,  as  follows: 

Yeas. — Messrs.  Baylies  of  Massachusetts,  Bigelow,  Boyd,  Bradbury, 
Brigham,  Cannon,  Champion,  Cilley,  Culpeper,  Davenport,  Ely,  Geddes, 
Grosvenor,  Jackson  of  Rhode  Island,  Lewis,  Macon,  Markell,  Moffit, 
Montgomery,  Pearson,  Pitkin,  Post,  Potter,  John  Reed,  William  Reed, 
Sherwood,  Shipherd,  Smith  of  New  York,  Stockton,  Taggart,  Thomp- 
son, Vose,  Ward  of  Massachusetts,  Ward  of  New  Jersey,  Wheaton,  Wil- 
cox, and  Wilson  of  Massachusetts. 

Nays. — Messrs.  Alexander,  Alston,  Archer,  Avery,  Bard,  Barnett, 
Bayly  of  Virginia,  Bowen,  Burwell,  Bradley,  Brown,  Butler,  Chappell, 
Clark,  Clopton,  Condict,  Conard,  Cooper,  Cox,  Crawford,  Creighton, 
Crouch,  Cuthbert,  Dana,  Davis  of  Pennsylvania,  Denoyelles,  Desha, 
Duvall,  Earle,  Evans,  Farrow,  Findley,  Fisk  of  New  York,  Forney, 
Forsyth,  Franklin,  Gaston,  Gholson,  Goodwyn,  Gourdin,  Hall,  Hanson, 
Harris,  Hasbrouck,  Hawes,  Hawkins,  Hopkins  of  Kentucky,  Hubbard, 
Humphreys,  Hungerford,  Hulbert,  IngersoU,  Irving,  Jackson  of  Vir- 
ginia, Johnson  of  Virginia,  Kennedy,  Kent  of  New  York,  Kent  of  Mary- 
land, Kerr,  Kershaw,  King  of  Massachusetts,  King  of  North  Carolina, 
Law,  Lefferts,  Lovett,  Lyle,  McCoy,  McKim,  McLean,  Moore,  Moseley, 
Nelson,  Newton,  Oakley,  Ormsby,  Parker,  Pickering,  Piper,  Pleasants, 
Rhea  of  Tennessee,  Rich,  Ringgold,  Roane,  Ruggles,  Sage,  Schureman, 
Seybert,  Sharp,  Skinner,  Smith  of  Pennsylvania,  Stanford,  Strong, 
Sturges,  Tannehill,  Taylor,  Telfair,  Troup,  Udree,  Webster,  Wilson  of 
Pennsylvania,  Winter,  Wright,  and  Yancey. 

Among  those  who  thus  voted  to  reduce  the  price  of  the 
library  was  Nathaniel  Macon,  who,  observes  IngersoU,  "never 
failed  to  demonstrate  his  always  peculiar,  often  eccentric,  and 
sometimes  extravagant  economy."  On  the  other  hand,  Mr. 
Hanson,  Mr.  Webster,  even  Cyrus  King,  Mr.  Oakley,  Mr. 
Pickering,  Mr.  Sturges,  and  Mr.  Law,  who  had  voted  for  the 
King  amendment,  on  this  money  vote  sided  with  those  who 
favored  the  purchase  of  the  Jefferson  library. 

A  motion  was  then  made  by  Mr.  Pickering  to  amend  the 
said  resolution  by  striking  out  from  the  words  "purchase  of" 
in  the  third  line  to  the  end  thereof,  and  to  insert  "  such  of 
the  books  in  the  library  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  late  President  of 
the  United  States,  as  in  their  opinion  will  at  this  time  be 


THE   QUESTION   OF   PURCHASE  IN   CONGRESS.  'J^ 

proper  to  be  received  and  deposited  at  the  vSeat  of  Govern- 
ment for  the  use  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress."  This 
amendment  was  in  substance  the  same  as  that  moved  on  the 
day  before  b}^  Air.  King.  This  motion  was  supported  by 
several  of  the  library  party — Macon  and  a  few  more — and 
b}^  most  of  the  Federalists,  including  Mr.  Webster,  but  Mr. 
Gaston,  Mr.  Hulbert,  and  Mr.  Kent  to  the  last  adhered  to 
the  original  motion  and  the  amendment  was  decided  in  the 
negative — yeas  52,  nays  96.  Those  who  voted  in  the  affirm- 
ative were: 

Messrs.  Baylies  of  Massachusetts,  Bayly  of  Virginia,  Bigelow,  Boyd, 
Bradbury,  Brigham,  Cannon,  Champion,  Cilley,  Cooper,  Cox,  Culpeper, 
Davenport,  Davis  of  Pennsylvania,  Geddes,  Goldsborough,  Grosvenor, 
Hanson,  Jackson  of  Rhode  Island,  King  of  Massachusetts,  Law,  Lewis, 
Lovett,  Macon,  Moffitt,  Montgomery,  Moseley,  Markell,  Oakley,  Pear- 
son, Pickering,  Pitkin,  Post,  John  Reed,  William  Reed,  Ruggles, 
Schureman,  Sherwood,  Shipherd,  Smith  of  New  York,  Stockton,  Stuart, 
Sturges,  Taggart,  Thompson,  Vose,  Ward  of  Massachusetts,  Webster, 
Wheaton,  White,  Wilcox,  Wilson  of  Massachusetts. 

Those  who  voted  in  the  negative  were: 

Messrs.  Alexander,  Alston,  Archer,  Avery,  Barbour,  Bard,  Barnett, 
Bowen,  Bradley,  Brown,  Burwell,  Butler,  Caldwell,  Chappell,  Clark, 
Clopton,  Condict,  Conard,  Crawford,  Creighton,  Crouch,  Cuthbert, 
Dana,  Denoyelles,  Desha,  Duvall,  Earle,  Evans,  Farrow,  Findley,  Fisk 
of  New  York,  Forney,  Forsyth,  Franklin,  Gaston,  Gholson,  Goodwyn, 
Gourdin,  Griffin,  Hall,  Harris,  Hasbrouck,  Hawes,  Hawkins,  Hopkins 
of  Kentuck}^  Hubbard,  Humphreys,  Hungerford,  Hulbert,  Ingersoll, 
Irving,  Jackson  of  Virginia,  Johnson  of  Virginia,  Johnson  of  Kentucky, 
Kennedy,  Kent  of  New  York,  Kent  of  Maryland,  Kerr,  Kershaw,  King  of 
North  Carolina,  lyefferts,  Lowndes,  Lyle,  McCoy,  McKim,  McLean, 
Miller,  Moore,  Nelson,  Newton,  Ormsby,  Parker,  Pickens,  Piper,  Pleas- 
ants, Rhea  of  Tennessee,  Rich,  Ringgold,  Roane,  Sage,  Seybert,  Sharp, 
Skinner,  Smith  of  Pennsylvania,  Smith  of  Virginia,  Stanford,  Strong, 
Tannehill,  Taylor,  Telfair,  Troup,  Udree,  Ward  of  New  Jersey,  Wil- 
son of  Pennsylvania,  Wright,  and  Yancey. 

Finally,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Oakley,  the  resolution  was 
amended  by  adding  to  the  end  thereof  the  following:  "and 
that  the  committee  la}^  the  terms  of  said  contract  before  Con- 
gress for  their  ratification."  On  the  following  day,  the  19th, 
the  resolution  thus  amended  was  passed. 


78  PURCHASE   OF  THE  JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

On  the  same  day  a  message  from  the  House  informed  the 
Senate  that  the  House  had  passed  the  resolution,  which  origi- 
nated in  the  Senate,  empowering  the  Joint  Library  Committee 
of  Congress  to  contract  for  the  purchase  of  Mr.  Jefferson's 
librarj^,  with  an  amendment,  in  which  they  request  the  con- 
currence of  the  Senate.'  On  the  20th  the  Senate  proceeded 
to  consider  the  House  amendment.  Mr.  Mason  moved  that 
the  further  consideration  thereof  be  postponed  to  the  first 
Monday  in  April  next.  This  was  determined  in  the  nega- 
tive— yeas  7,  nays  21,  as  follows:^ 

Yeas. — Messrs,  Daggett,  German,  Gore,  Horsey,  King,  Mason,  and 
Thompson. 

JVays. — Messrs.  Anderson,  Bibb,  Bledsoe,  Brown,  Chace,  Condit,  Fro- 
mentin,  Gaillard,  Giles,  Goldsborough,  Lacock,  Morrow,  Roberts, 
Robinson,  Tait,  Taylor,  Turner,  Varuum,  Walker,  Wharton,  and 
W^orthington. 

Whereupon,  ^''  Resolved^  That  they  concur  therein." 
On  October  20  the  Washington  correspondent  of  the  Boston 
Gazette   wrote:    "The   grand   librar}^  of   Mr.   Jefferson   will 
undoubtedly  be  purchased  with  all  its  finery  and  philosoph- 
ical nonsense.^ 

On  the  2ist  the  measure  passed: 

RESOIvUTION  empowering  the  Joint  Library  Committee  of  Congress  to  contract 
for  the  purchase  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  library. 

Resolved,  by  the  Senate  a7id  House  of  Representatives  of  tJie  United 
States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  Joint  lyibrary  Com- 
mittee of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress  be,  and  they  are  hereby,  authorized 
and  empowered  to  contract  on  their  part  for  the  purchase  of  the  library 
of  Mr.  Jefferson,  late  President  of  the  United  States,  for  the  use  of  both 
Houses  of  Congress;  and  that  the  Committee  la}^  the  terms  of  said  con- 
tract before  Congress,  for  their  ratification. 

PUBLIC  OPINION  REGARDING  THE  PURCHASE  OF  THE  LIBRARY. 

Joseph  Milligan,  a  Georgetown  bookseller,  who  had  for 
years  been  collecting  books  for  Jefferson,  and  was,  perhaps, 
the  first  to  be  informed  of  Jefferson's  offer  of  his  library  to 
Congress,  wrote,  September  24:  "Your  truly  magnanimous 
offer  of  the  Monticello  library  to  Congress  will  be  very  accept- 

'  Annals  28:  29.  *  Annals  28:  30.  ^j^oston  Gazette,  October  27,  1814. 


PUBLIC    OPINION    REGARDING    THE    PURCHASE.  79 

able.  If  Congress  should  piircliase  it,  to  literary  men  it 
would  be  a  great  privilege  to  be  permitted  at  all  times  of  the 
year  to  have  free  access,  not  to  take  away  the  books,  but  to 
read  in  the  Library  and  make  extracts.  Therefore  the  place 
of  Librarian  would  be  well  to  be  a  distinct  office  from  the 
Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  If  the}'  do  take  it 
ever3'thing  that  I  can  do  in  arranging  it  shall  be  done,  and  I 
will  keep  the  library  for  this  session  free  of  cost.  By  this  I 
would  have  it  clearly  understood  that  it  is  not  my  wish  to 
fish  for  it  as  a  permanent  thing,  for  I  would  not  accept  a  place 
of  profit  under  any  Government. 

"You  will  please  communicate  with  the  Secretarj'^  of  State  ^ 
on  the  subject,  and  inclose  the  catalogue  to  him.  I  will 
immediatel}^,  on  receipt  of  it,  arrange  to  have  it  printed."^ 

In  like  fashion  William  Thornton,  Commissioner  of  Pat- 
ents, wrote  to  Jefferson  December  11,  1814:^  "What  dread- 
ful scenes  we  have  witnessed  here !  But  all  may  be  repaired, 
and  in  some  respects  we  shall  be  benefited,  for  if  the  build- 
ings should  be  repaired,  we  shall  never  hear  any  more  of  the 
removal  of  Congress:  and  I  have  congratulated  the  members 
on  the  loss  of  their  library  since  you  have  offered  yours  on 
such  generous  terms.  I  advised  them  to  oiler  you  $50,000 
at  once,  for  I  had  seen  the  books  and  knew  them  to  be  very 
valuable;  that  they  ought  not  to  value  them  as  books  in  a 
common  librar}',  for,  besides  the  learning  and  ability  it  would 
require  to  select  the  books,  they  were  not  to  be  obtained  but  at 
very  great  trouble,  great  expense,  great  risk,  and  many  of 
them  not  to  be  had  at  all,  but  I  fear  they  will  not  give  half 
the  value." 

And  William  Short,  of  Philadelphia,  to  whom  Jefferson  was 
indebted  to  the  amount  of  $10,500,  writing  March  11,  1815, 
congratulated  Jefferson  on  the  sale  of  his  library  to  Congress, 
on  the  ground  that  it  would  preser\'e  it  from  the  fate  of  the 

'James  Monroe.  ^JeflFerson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  61,  No.  80. 

^Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  81,  No.  34.  In  reply  to  this  Jefferson  wTote,  Monti- 
cello,  December  24,  "The  loss  of  the  library  will  be  more  than  repaired  should  they 
conclude  to  take  mine.  The  rarity  of  many  of  the  books  and  choice  of  editions  of  the 
greater  part  render  the  collection  really  valuable."  Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol. 
81,  No.  48. 


8o  PURCHASE   OF  THE  JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

Westover  Librar}^,  which,  after  the  death  of  Col.  William 
Byrd,  the  third  of  that  name,  in  1777,  had  been  dispersed  by 
sale.' 

Even  the  newspapers  were  interested  in  the  purchase  of 
the  librar}'.  One  of  these,  the  Petersburg  Courier^  expressed 
itself  in  the  following  words: "" 

The  objections  made  by  the  Federal  members  of  Congress,  to  the  pur- 
chase of  Mr.  Jefferson's  library,  are  certainly  not  only  extraordinary  and 
illiberal,  but  they  reflect  the  greatest  discredit  upon  the  national  charac- 
ter of  this  country.  What  can  be  a  greater  stigma  upon  the  members 
of  our  National  Legislature  than  to  assert  that  books  of  a  philosophical 
description  are  improper  for  their  perusal?  Were  Mr.  Oakley,  Mr. 
Reed,  and  Mr.  Grosvenor,  the  literary  censors  of  the  United  States,  the 
works  of  Newton,  Locke,  Simpson,  Stewart  and  all  others  of  equal 
merit,  would  doubtless  be  committed  to  the  flames,  and  their  places 
supplied  perhaps  by  The  Tales  of  Wonder,  the  Tales  of  Horror,  and 
the  Arabian  Nights'  Entertainment. 

Another  great  objection  is,  that  Mr.  Jefferson's  library  contains  the 
works  of  Voltaire — what  a  pitiful  observation!  Will  it  be  said  that 
the  works  of  an  author,  which  hold  the  first  rank  on  the  shelves  of  all 
the  libraries  of  Europe,  and  which  may  be  found  in  the  libraries  of 
Oxford  and  Cambridge,  and  in  those  of  the  four  Scotch  universities,  for 
the  express  purpose  to  be  perused  by  students,  should  be  prohibited  or 
forbidden  a  place  in  the  Library  of  Congress?  Will  the  force  of  Federal 
prejudice  and  superstition  be  so  powerful  as  to  effect  this? 

Jefferson  thus  had  the  good  wishes  of  friends,  creditors,  and 
editors — Virginia  and  Republican  editors — but  before  the  sale 
of  the  library  could  be  effected  it  was  necessarj^  to  answer  the 
question  raised  by  the  Oakley  amendment  of  October  19,  as 
to  the  value  of  the  library. 

EVALUATION   OF   THE   LIBRARY. 

This  question  was  presented  to  Jefferson  in  the  following 
letter  from  Samuel  Harrison  Smith,  October  21,  18 14: 

I  was  this  day  invited  by  the  Library  Committee  to  a  conference  with 
them.  They  represented  that  in  consequence  of  the  amendment  to  their 
report,  it  became  necessary  to  ascertain  the  -^-alue  of  the  library  and  to 

'Jefferson  Papers,  in  collections  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  series  7, 
vol.  I ,  p.  229.  There  is  a  catalogue  of  the  books  in  the  library  at  Westover  belong- 
ing to  William  Byrd,  esq.,  in  the  "Writings  of  Col.  William  Byrd,"  edited  by 
J.  S.  Bassett,  New  York,  1901,  pp.  413-444. 

''This  article  was  reprinted  in  the  National  Intelligencer^  October  25,  1814. 


EVALUATION   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  8 1 

obtain  an  authority  from  the  two  Houses  to  pay  it,  to  enable  them  to  do 
which  they  enquired  of  me,  whether  I  could  specify  what  would  be 
received  for  it.  I  replied  that  I  was  unable  to  state  its  value,  and  that 
I  w^as  certain  that  it  would  be  much  more  agreeable  to  you  that  this 
should  be  done  either  by  the  committee  themselves,  or  by  disinterested 
persons;  that  I  was  persuaded  that  you  feel  some  delicacy,  if  not  repug- 
nance, to  setting  a  value  on  your  own  property,  and  that  you  might,  in 
forming  the  estimate,  from  obvious  motives,  be  driven  to  the  alternative 
of  either  depreciating  its  value,  or  of  laying  yourself  open  to  the  impu- 
tation of  extravagance.  I,  therefore,  proposed  another  course;  that  the 
library  should  be  estimated  by  some  one  sent  for  that  purpose,  or,  which 
I  consider  most  advisable,  that  it  should  be  brought  to  this  place  with- 
out delay,  valued  by  the  committee,  or  by  persons  named  by  the  com- 
mittee, or  by  the  committee  and  myself,  that  this  valuation  should  be 
submitted  to  the  committee,  and  if  agreed  to  by  them,  that  a  corre- 
spondent report  and  contract  should  be  made  to  Congress,  of  whose 
approbation  I  did  not  entertain  a  doubt;  that  should,  however,  a  differ- 
ent result  ensue,  I  would  take  the  responsibility  on  myself. 

To  this  the  committee  answered  that  they  did  not  consider  themselves 
authorized  to  take  the  proposed  steps,  and  having  agreed  to  receive  the 
library,  even  provisionally,  Congress  might  be  considered  as  committed 
in  regard  to  the  definitive  agreement.  They  added  that  in  ascertaining 
its  value  they  did  not  wish  any  estimate  as  made  by  you,  to  be  submitted 
to  them,  that  the  information  I  might  obtain  would  be  entirely  private 
and  confidential,  and  that  any  pj'oposition,  that  a  certain  sum  would  be 
received  for  it,  which  sum  thej'  did  not  mean  should  be  computed  with 
close  precision,  would  be  accepted  as  the  basis  of  a  contract. 

Our  conversation  conclusively  exhibited  their  purpose  not  to  proceed 
without  a  proposition  analogous  to  that  desired.  Upon  the  whole, 
although  not  insensible  to  the  delicacy  of  the  step,  I  would  recommend 
that  you  authorize  me  to  state  that  a  sum  not  exceeding  a  specified 
amount  will  be  received,  and  that  to  guard  against  any  unjust  imputa- 
tion, such  sum  within  that  amount  will  be  taken  as  shall  be  the  result 
of  a  valuation  to  be  made  after  the  library  is  on  the  spot.' 

In  response  to  tHis  letter,  Jeff erson  wrote  to  Joseph  Milligan, 
October  29:'' 

The  Library  Committee  requires  a  proposition  on  my  part  as  to  the 
price  of  my  library,  and  as  a  ground  of  negotiation  in  making  such  a 
proposition,  I  could  take  no  ground  but  from  the  number  of  volumes, 
their  sizes  and  average  value.  But  having  sent  them  my  catalogue,  I 
have  no  means  of  coming  at  the  numbers,  for  the  conjecture  I  had  for- 

■J.  Henley  Smith  MvSS. 

^^ Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  61,  No.  125. 

23399— "4 6 


82  PURCHASE  OF  THE  JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

merly  made  was  on  counting  a  few  pages  only,  taking  an  average  of 
them,  and  multiplying  by  the  number  of  pages.  In  this  way,  I  guessed 
the  whole  number  to  be  about  9,000.  But  more  accuracy  is  now  requi- 
site. I  have  ventured  to  say  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Smith,  that  I  thought 
you  would  be  so  good  as  to  take  the  trouble  of  actually  counting  the 
numbers  of  every  page  of  the  catalogue,  distinguishing  separately  the 
folios,  quartos,  octavos,  and  duodecimos,  so  as  to  inform  him  how  many 
there  are  of  each  format,  which  would  enable  him  to  set  a  value  on  the 
whole,  and  to  propose  it  to  the  Committee.  And  this  favor  I  have  still 
to  solicit  from  you,  further,  that  you  will  be  so  good  as  to  call  on  hiin 
and  to  inform  him  as  to  the  character  of  the  bindings  generally,  and 
state  of  preserv^ation  in  which  you  saw  them  here.  I  have  tried  a  rough 
method  of  coming  at  their  numbers,  by  taking  the  running  measure  of 
each  format  as  they  stand  on  their  shelves,  and  counting  a  few  shelves 
for  an  average.  Then  estimating  these  conjectural  numbers  at  what  I 
thought  a  moderate  price,  the  average  price  of  the  whole  per  volume 
came  out  almost  exactly  what  you  had  conjectured  when  here,  to  wit, 
three  dollars  a  volume.  I  imagine  Mr.  Smith  will  adopt  some  such 
method  of  estimate,  by  the  sizes  and  numbers  you  will  be  so  good  as  to 
furnish  him.  This  mode  of  guessing  at  the  number  of  volumes  made  it 
less  than  the  former  estimate.  When  this  proposition  of  a  sum  shall 
have  been  made,  I  have  asked  the  favor  of  the  return  of  the  catalogue, 
and  as  soon  as  I  can  correct  that  by  an  actual  review  of  the  library, 
which  will  be  the  work  of  a  week  or  ten  days,  I  will  begin  to  send  j'ou 
sheets  of  the  catalogue  for  printing. 

To  Mr.  Smith,  lie  made  the  following  answer,  October  29:' — 

Your  favors  of  the  19th  and  21st  were  received  by  one  mail,  yesterday. 
Presuming  that  the  proposition  in  my  letter  of  September  21st,  was  not 
sufficiently  explained  I  will  state  more  particularly  the  course  I  had  sup- 
posed the  transaction  would  have  taken.  The  proposition  was  that  the 
books  should  be  valued  by  persons  named  by  the  Committee  themselves, 
and  the  payment  made  in  whatever  form,  and  at  such  distant  time  as 
they  might  think  accommodated  to  the  circumstances  of  the  times.  I 
supposed  that  they  would  send  one  or  two  persons  here,  acquainted  with 
the  subject,  perhaps  booksellers,  to  value  the  books  either  singly,  or  by 
an  average  deduced  from  their  sizes  and  numbers;  this  valuation  I 
expected  to  be  binding  on  me,  while  I  had  and  have  no  objection  to  a 
right  of  rejection  either  in  the  Committee  or  in  Congress.  If  the  valua- 
tion were  accepted  by  them,  I  supposed  they  would  send  on  some  person 
to  see  to  the  exact  delivery  of  the  books,  and  to  their  safe  conveyance. 
They  are  arranged  at  present  in  plain  pine  cases,  closed  in  the  back,  but 
open  in  front,  and  so  compact  that  they  might  go  as  they  stand  on  their 
shelves,  the  fronts  only  being  nailed  up,  and  be  ready  to  set  up  in  any 

'J.  Henley  Smith  MSS.,  copy  in  Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  78,  No.  35. 


EVALUATION   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  83 

room  in  perfect  order.  Having  no  anxiety  about  the  sum  or  mode  of 
valuation,  but  wishing  the  collection  secured  to  the  public  and  at  the 
moment  of  the  recent  loss  rather  than  any  other,  I  supposed  a  valuation 
by  persons  of  their  own  choice  the  most  unexceptionable  ground  I  could 
propose  to  the  committee;  but  persevering  in  the  same  object,  I  will 
acquiesce  in  any  other  which  they  shall  prefer,  except  that  of  proposing 
a  value  myself,  for  which  I  really  am  not  qualified  by  a  sufficient 
familiarity  with  prices,  nor  willing  to  trust  myself  in  a  case  where 
motives  of  interest  might  subject  me  to  bias,  and  certainly  to  the  sus- 
picion of  it.  I  can  not  propose  to  5^ou  the  trouble  of  making  an  esti- 
mate, of  which  no  one  would  be  more  capable ;  but  the  labor  of  counting 
in  every  page  of  the  catalogue  the  number  of  folios,  quartos,  octavos, 
and  duodecimos,  and  summing  all  these,  might  be  performed  by  another, 
and  might  furnish  you  ground  by  an  average  of  numbers  and  size,  to 
name  to  the  committee  a  sum  which  you  would  deem  reasonable,  and 
whatever  sum  you  should  name,  shall  be  binding  on  me,  as  a  maximum, 
subject  to  be  reduced,  but  not  enlarged  by  actual  valuation  b}^  any  per- 
sons the  committee  shall  think  proper  to  appoint.  In  all  this  I  wish 
myself  to  be  entirely  passive,  and  to  abide  absolutely  by  the  estimate 
thus  found.  As  the  condition  of  the  books  must  enter,  of  course,  as  an 
element  into  their  valuation,  Mr.  Milligan,  bookseller  of  Georgetown, 
who  has  lately  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  them,  can  give  you  informa- 
tion on  that  head;  and  I  have  written  to  ask  the  favor  of  him  to  take 
the  trouble  of  numbering  them  in  the  catalogue,  and  of  reporting  the 
sizes  and  numbers  to  you,  from  which  you  could  readily  deduce  an  estimate 
of  the  total,  to  be  proposed  as  a  maximum.  Mr.  Milligan  has  asked 
permission  of  me  to  print  the  catalogue  on  his  own  account,  as  a  book 
of  sale.  You  must  still  be  aware  that  some  of  the  books  entered  in  the 
catalogue  will  doubtless  be  missing.  The  collection  has  not  been  re\'ised 
since  my  return  from  Europe.  During  my  absence  from  home,  it  has 
been  open  to  limited  uses,  and  I  have  occasional!}^  found  books  missing. 
Some  of  these  may  be  only  misplaced,  but  some  are  probablj'  lost.  I 
should  mention  also,  that  there  are  two  entered  on  the  catalogue  which 
I  did  not  possess,  but  meaning  to  import  them  immediatel)^  I  entered 
them  while  writing  the  catalogue;  the  war,  however,  supervening,  pre- 
vented my  importing  them.  These  are  the  ' '  Geoponica, ' '  and  an  English 
translation  of  them  lately  published. 

I  had  expressed  in  my  letter  a  wish  to  keep  some  of  the  books  during 
my  life,  not  to  be  paid  for,  of  course,  until  delivered;  but  that  I  should 
retire  from  the  wish  if  at  all  unacceptable.  I  must,  of  course,  replace 
many  by  new  purchases,  but  among  my  classics  particularly,  there  are 
some  special  editions  which  could  not  now  be  replaced,  and  some  mathe- 
matical books  which  I  should  unwillingly  be  without,  until  peace  shall 
open  the  means  of  getting  them  from  Europe.  The  number  I  might 
wish  to  retain,  for  a  while  at  least,  would  be  between  one  and  two  hun- 


84  PURCHASE   OF   THE   JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

dred  volumes,   but    I   report  my  willingness   to  let  all  go  at  once,  if 
preferred  by  the  committee. 

I  shall  set  out  tomorrow  on  a  journey  which  will  occasion  an  absence 
of  about  a  fortnight;  the  return  of  the  catalogue  by  that  time,  if  the 
committee  shall  have  no  further  use  for  it,  would  be  desirable;  because 
I  would  then  begin  the  general  review  of  the  library,  the  restoring  to 
their  proper  places  the  volumes  which  have  been  misplaced,  and  the 
ascertaining  such  as  may  have  been  lost.  This  would  be  a  work  of  sev- 
eral days,  and  it  would  only  be  after  that  operation  that  the  valuation 
could  take  place,  if  that  idea  be  accepted  by  the  committee. 

PURCHASE    OF  THE   LIBRARY. 

As  a  result  of  this  correspondence  Milligan  wrote  to  JefTer- 
son,  November  i6,  1814:' 

I  have  run  through  the  catalogue  and  find  that  the  amount  of  volumes, 
if  we  include  the  Edinburgh  Review,  will  amount  to  say  6500,  which 
agreeable  to  the  rule  which  I  have  laid  down,  viz : — for  a  folio  ten  dol- 
lars, for  a  quarto  six  dollars,  for  an  octavo  three  dollars,  for  a  duodecimo 
one  dollar, — will  amount  to  a  trifle  over  $24000.     *     *     * 

This  information  appears  to  have  been  sent  to  Mr.  Smith 
and  by  him  communicated  to  the  Library  Committee.  The 
following  unsigned  note  among  the  J.  Henley  Smith  Papers, 
dated  November  25,  undoubtedl}'  refers  to  this.  It  reads: 
"The  recent  engagements  of  the  Senate  have  prevented  an 
earlier  meeting  of  the  Library  Committee,  than  tomorrow 
morning  (Saturday),  10  o'clock.  At  which  time  the\-  beg  the 
favour  of  your  company."  In  this  meeting  a  valuation  of  the 
library,  based  upon  the  estimates  of  Mr.  Milligan,  was  deter- 
mined upon,  and  on  the  28th  of  November  the  following  report 
of  the  Ivibrarj'-  Committee  was  presented  in  the  Senate  b}^  Mr. 
Goldsborough :  "In  pursuance  of  the  resolution  of  Congress, 
passed  on  the  21st  day  of  October  last,  your  committee  have 
received  from  Mr.  Samuel  Harrison  Smith,  agent  for  Mr. 
Jefferson,  precise  terms  of  sale  of  his  library,  in  which  the 
number  of  volumes  is  stated  to  be  6487,  and  the  estimated  price 
$23,950.  To  these  terms  3'Our  committee  have  conditionally 
acceded,  and  they  have  contracted  with  the  agent  of  Mr. 
Jefferson,  for  the    purchase  of    his   librar}^   according  to  the 

'Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  61,  No.  82. 


PURCHASE   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  85 

catalogue  and  number  of  volumes  stated,  at  the  price  before- 
mentioned,  subject  to  the  ratification  of  Congress.  They 
therefore  present  the  bill  to  authorize  the  purchase  of  the 
library  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  late  President  of  the  United 
States."     . 

On  the  3d  of  December  this  bill  passed  the  Senate,  without 
amendment.  On  the  same  day  a  message  from  the  Senate 
informed  the  House  of  the  passage  of  the  bill  in  the  Senate 
and  desired  the  concurrence  of  the  House  therein.  On  the 
5th  the  bill  was  read  twice  and  committed  to  a  committee  of 
the  whole.  There  the  matter  rested  until  January  26,  18 15, 
when  a  motion  was  made  by  Mr.  Lewis  that  the  considera- 
tion of  the  bill  be  postponed  indefinitely.  For  the  motion  69, 
against  it  73.  A  motion  was  then  made  b}^  Mr.  Cooper,  of 
Delaware,  to  postpone  the  further  consideration  of  the  bill 
to  the  4th  day  of  March  next.  For  the  motion  68,  against 
it  74.^ 

A  motion  was  then  made  by  Mr.  King,  of  Massachusetts, 
that  the  bill  be  committed  to  a  select  committee,  with  instruc- 
tions to  report  as  an  amendment  thereto  the  following  section: 

Sec.  2.  A7id  be  it  further  enacted,  That  as  soon  as  said  library  shall  be 
received  at  Washington,  the  Joint  Library  Committee  be,  and  they  are 
hereby  authorized  and  directed  to  select  therefrom,  all  such  books  as,  in 
their  opinion,  are  not  u.seful  or  necessary  for  Congress,  and  to  cause  the 
same  to  be  sold,  and  the  proceeds  thereof  invested  in  other  books  for  the 
use  of  Congress. 

This  motion  received  56  affirmative  votes,  but  was  deter- 
mined in  the  negative.  Then  Mr.  King  moved  to  recommit 
the  bill,  with  instructions  to  report  a  section  "authorizing  the 
Library  Committee,  as  soon  as  said  library  shall  be  received 
at  Washington,  to  select  therefrom  all  books  of  an  atheistical, 
irreligious,  and  immoral  tendency,  if  any  such  there  be,  and 
send  the  same  back  to  Mr.  Jefferson  without  any  expense  to 
him."  This  motion  Mr.  King  thought  proper  afterwards  to 
withdraw. 

This  subject,  and  the  various  motions  relative  thereto,  say 
the  Annals,^  gave  rise  to  a  debate  which  lasted  to  the  hour  of 

'  The  yeas  and  nays  are  given  in  the  Journal. 
"Annals  28:  1105-1106. 


86  PURCHASE   OF  THE  JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

adjournment;  which,  though  it  afforded  much  amusement  to 
the  auditors,  would  not  interest  the  feelings  or  judgment  of 
any  reader.  Those  who  supported  the  bill  in  debate  were 
Messrs.  Wright,  Fish,  of  Vermont,  Rhea,  of  Tennessee,  and 
Hulbert,  and  those  who  opposed  it  were  Messrs.  King,  of 
Massachusetts,  Farrow,  Cannon,  Hanson,  Grosvenor,  Pick- 
ering, and  Webster.  The  speech  of  Cyrus  King,  a  sincere 
and  not  uninformed  gentleman,  may  be  taken  as  an  example 
of  the  eloquence  of  the  opposition:  "  It  might  be  inferred," 
he  said,  "from  the  character  of  the  man  who  collected 
it,  and  France,  where  the  collection  was  made,  that  the 
library  contained  irreligious  and  immoral  books,  works  of  the 
French  philosophers,  who  caused  and  influenced  the  volcano 
of  the  French  Revolution,  which  had  desolated  Europe  and 
extended  to  this  country.  He  was  opposed  to  a  general  dis- 
semination of  that  infidel  philosophy,  and  of  the  principles  of 
a  man  [Jefferson]  who  had  inflicted  greater  injury  on  our 
country  than  au}^  other,  except  Mr.  Madison.  The  bill  would 
put  $23,900  into  Jefferson's  pocket  for  about  6,000  books, 
good,  bad,  and  indifferent,  old,  new,  and  worthless,  in  lan- 
guages which  many  can  not  read,  and  most  ought  not;  which 
is  true  Jeffersonian,  Madisonian  philosophy,  to  bankrupt  the 
Treasury,  beggar  the  people,  and  disgrace  the  nation."  Oth- 
ers, among  whom  were  a  number  of  the  political  and  personal 
friends  of  Mr.  Jefferson,  opposed  the  bill  on  the  ground  of  the 
scarcity  of  money,  and  the  necessity  of  appropriating  it  to 
purposes  more  indispensable  than  the  purchase  of  a  library; 
the  probable  insecurity  of  such  a  library  placed  here;  the 
high  price  to  be  given  for  this  collection;  its  miscellaneous 
and  almost  exclusively  literary  (instead  of  legal  and  his- 
torical) character,  etc.  To  those  arguments,  enforced  with 
zeal  and  vehemence,  the  friends  of  the  bill  replied  with  fact, 
wit,  and  argument,  to  show  that  the  purchase,  to  be  made  on 
terms  of  long  credit,  could  not  affect  the  present  resources  of 
the  United  States;  that  the  price  was  moderate,  the  library 
more  valuable  from  the  scarcity  of  many  of  its  books,  and 
altogether  a  most  admirable  substratum  for  a  national  library. 
So  the  bitelligcncer  reported  the  debate. 


PURCHASE  OF  THE  LIBRARY.  87 

But  the  Washington  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Even- 
ing Post  was  also  present,  and  wrote  to  the  Post  January  31, 
as  follows: 

Should  Mr.  Gales '  ever  comply  with  his  promise  and  give  a  faithful 
report  of  the  debate  upon  the  bill  to  purchase  Mr.  Jefferson's  library,  we 
venture  to  say,  it  will  make  but  one  impression  upon  the  honest  portion 
of  his  readers.  In  the  place  of  a  fair  report  of  the  debate,  Gales  con- 
tents himself  with  saying,  that  ' '  the  arguments  enforced  with  zeal  and 
vehemence"  against  the  bill,  were  answered  "with  fact,  wit,  and  argu- 
ment," by  Messrs.  Wright,  Rhea,  Fish,  and  Hulbert.  The  latter  gen- 
tleman was  undoubtedly  plausible,  and  reasoned  with  ingenuity,  but 
where  to  find  the  wit,  or  what  are  the  facts  alluded  to,  we  know  not, 
although  we  were  present,  and  heard  all  that  was  said.  It  is  true  as 
Mr.  Gales  says,  the  amount  of  what  was  said  by  the  friends  of  the  bill, 
was,  that  the  price, — ($23,900),  was  moderate,  that  the  library  was  valu- 
able from  the  scarcity  of  the  books,  and  that  it  could  not  injure  materi- 
ally the  national  resources,  because  it  was  to  be  paid  for  in  Treasury 
bills,  the  depreciation  of  which  was  alluded  to  as  a  proof  of  the  soundness 
of  the  bargain.  This  was  the  amount  of  the  wit,  facts,  and  arguments 
on  the  part  of  the  friends  of  the  bill. 

On  the  other  hand  it  was  urged  by  those  who  opposed  it,  (Messrs. 
Lewis,  Cannon,  Hanson,  Grosvenor,  Pickering,  King,  Webster,  and 
Farrow),  that  the  price  was  exorbitant,  and  the  librarj^  w-as  not  such  as 
Congress  wanted,  being  almost  entirely  literary,  containing  compara- 
tively httle  of  law  or  history,  that  it  abounded  with  productions  of  an 
atheistical,  irreligious  and  immoral  character, — a  fourth  of  the  books 
were  in  foreign  languages,  and  many  in  the  dead  languages,  such  as 
romances,  tracts  on  architecture,  farriery,  cookery  and  the  like.  Upon 
the  latter  subject,  it  was  mentioned  as  a  fair  example  of  the  books, 
there  were  no  less  than  ten  different  works,  nine  being  in  foreign  lan- 
guages. The  necessity  of  husbanding  the  resources,  retrenching  the 
expenses  of  government,  and  commencing  a  system  of  economy  was 
strongly  urged.  Although  it  was  admitted  for  argument  sake,  that  the 
nation  was  under  great  obligations  to  Mr.  Jefferson  for  the  great  bene- 
fits conferred  upon  the  country,  the  numerous  blessings  which  were 
likely  to  flow  from  the  system  of  pohtics  he  had  introduced,  yet  the 
report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  was  referred  to  as  proof  that  the 
present  was  not  a  time  to  reward  him  out  of  his  ' '  overflowing  treasury ' ' 
by  settling  upon  him  a  pension  of  more  than  a  thousand  dollars  per 
annum  to  him  and  to  his  heirs  forever.  It  was  contended,  in  addition  to 
the  high  price  and  unsuitableness  of  the  library,  which  might  be  bought 
in  any  of  the  large  cities  for  half  the  money,  that  it  became  Congress  to 
act  in  this  transaction  as  if  they  were  making  a  bargain  with  any  other 

'The  editor  of  the  Intelligencer. 


88  PURCHASE   OF  THE   JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

individual  than  Mr.  Jefferson,— that  it  behoved  them  to  be  just  before 
they  were  generous, — that  if  there  was  money  in  the  Treasury  unappro- 
priated, the  interest  of  the  pubhc  debt  should  be  first  paid, — the  militia, 
who  had  been  spilling  their  blood  in  defense  of  the  country,  should  be 
paid, — the  army  should  be  clothed  and  fed,  to  whom  the  Government 
was  in  arrears  nine  millions  of  dollars,— that  shoes  should  be  purchased 
for  the  suffering  soldiers  who  might  be  tracked  on  the  northern  frontier 
by  the  blood  of  their  feet.  The  sum  proposed  to  be  given  Mr.  Jefferson 
for  his  books  was  said  to  exceed  the  quota  of  direct  tax  for  nineteen- 
twentieths  of  the  districts  represented  in  Congress, — to  be  equal  to  the 
enlistment  of  two  hundred  and  ten  men  for  the  regular  army,  and  the 
purchase  of  two  thousand  stands  of  arms.  Reference  was  made  to  the 
last  Treasurj'  report  to  show  the  necessity  of  frugality  and  the  distress- 
ing effect  of  the  profusion  in  the  public  expenditures.  It  was  asked 
whether  the  people  would  consent  to  pay  a  tax  of  one  dollar  upon  every 
barrel  of  flour,  to  pay  an  income  tax,  etc.,  if  their  money  was  to  be 
thus  squandered.  Arguments  were  drawn  from  the  state  of  the  coun- 
try, the  finances,  and  the  bloody  struggle  in  which  we  were  engaged,  to 
show  the  necessity  of  economy.  The  debate  was  closed  with  a  short, 
but  as  eloquent  an  appeal  to  the  justice,  public  spirit  and  patriotism  of 
the  house,  as  we  recollect  ever  to  have  heard.  But  the  bill  passed  by  a 
majority  of  ten  votes,  and  the  Pensioner  Jefferson  has  wrung  from  our 
beggared  exchequer  its  very  sweepings. 

The  final  question  on  the  passage  of  the  bill  was  decided 
in  the  affirmative:  For  the  passage  of  the  bill,  8i ;  against  it, 
71,  as  follows: 

Yeas. — Messrs.  Alexander,  Alston,  Anderson,  Barbour,  Bines,  Bowen, 
Brown,  Butler,  Calhoun,  Chappell,  Conard,  Crawford,  Creighton, 
Crouch,  Cuthbert,  Desha,  Duvall,  Earle,  Evans,  Findley,  Fisk  of  Ver- 
mont, Fiskof  New  York,  Forney,  Forsyth,  Franklin,  Gholson,  Goodwyn, 
Gourdin,  Griffin,  Hall,  Harris,  Hasbrouck,  Hawes,  Hawkins,  Hopkins 
of  Kentucky,  Hubbard,  Hulbert,  IngersoU,  Ingham,  Irving,  Jackson  of 
Virginia,  Johnson  of  Kentucky,  Kennedy,  Kent  of  Maryland,  Kerr, 
Kershaw,  Kilbourn,  Lefferts,  L,owndes,  Lyle,  McCoy,  McKim,  McLean, 
Murfree,  Nelson,  Newton,  Ormsby,  Pickens,  Piper,  Pleasants,  Rea  of 
Pennsylvania,  Rhea  of  Tennessee,  Rich,  Ringgold,  Roane,  Robertson, 
Sage,  Sevier,  Seybert,  Sharp,  Smith  of  Pennsylvania,  Smith  of  Virginia, 
Taylor,  Telfair,  Troup,  Udree,  Ward  of  New  York,  Williams,  Wilson 
of  Pennsylvania,  Wright,  and  Yancey. 

Nays. — Messrs.  Archer,  Avery,  Baylies  of  Massachusetts,  Bayly  of 
Virginia,  Bigelow,  Boyd,  Bradbury,  Breckenridge,  Brigham,  Caldwell, 
Cannon,  Champion,  Cilley,  Clendenen,  Comstock,  Cooper,  Cox,  Cul- 
peper,  Davenport,  Davis  of  Massachusetts,  Davis  of  Pennsylvania,  Kly, 


VALUE  OF  THE   LIBRARY.  89 

Farrow,  Geddes,  Goldsborough,  Grosveuor,  Hale,  Hanson,  Henderson, 
Howell,  Huugerford,  Jackson  of  Rhode  Island,  Kent  of  New  York, 
King  of  Massachusetts,  Law,  Lewis,  Lovett,  Macon,  Markell,  Mont- 
gomery, Moseley,  Oakley,  Pearson,  Pickering,  Pitkin,  Potter,  John 
Reed,  Wilham  Reed,  Ridgely,  Ruggles,  Schureman,  Sheffey,  Sherwood, 
Shipherd,  Slaymaker,  Stanford,  Stockton,  Strong,  Stuart,  Sturges, 
Taggart,  Tannehill,  Thompson,  Vose,  Ward  of  Massachusetts,  Webster, 
Wheaton,  White,  Wilcox,  Winter,  and  Wood/ 

AN  ACT  to  authorize  the  purchase  of  the  library  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  late  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States. 

Be  it  enacted,  &c. ,  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  be,  and  he  is 
hereby,  authorized  and  directed  to  cause  to  be  paid  to  the  Joint  lyibrary 
Committee  of  Congress,  or  their  order,  the  sum  of  $23,950,  in  Treasury 
notes  of  the  issue  ordered  by  the  law  of  the  4th  of  March,  18 14;  to  be 
by  them  applied  to  the  purchase  of  the  library'-  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  late 
President  of  the  United  States,  for  the  use  of  Congress. 

Approved,  January  30,  18 15. 

VALUE   OF   THE   LIBRARY. 

Of  the  value  of  the  library  thus  acquired  by  Congress  there 
was  as  much  difference  of  opinion  outside  the  two  Houses  of 
Congress  as  within.  Niles's  Weekly  Register^  December  31, 
1814,''  on  the  one  hand,  observ^ed,  "It  is  strange  that  the 
rancor  of  party  should  penetrate  even  the  temple  of  science, 
and  that  an  opposition  was  made  to  the  purchase  of  a  collec- 
tion that  any  monarch  in  Europe  would  be  proud  to  own. 
For  such  a  library  the  British  Parliament  would  have  given 
/5o,ooo." 

The  editor  of  Walsh's  Aniej-ica^i  Register  was  much  more 
voluble.     He  said:^ 

There  would  have  been  something  more  satisfactory  in  this  transac- 
tion, had  the  Legislature  of  Virginia  been  the  purchaser  and  bestowed 
it  as  a  gift  on  the  Federal  Government.  However  this  may  be,  it  was 
an  inestimable  acquisition.  *  *  *  The  collection  is  exuberant  in  the 
ancient  classics,  richly  stocked  with  the  best  classical  history,  ancient 
and  modern,  in  the  principal  languages  of  Europe.  The  Titles  History, 
Ancient  and  Modern,  Politics,  Geography  and  Criticism,  of  the  cata- 
logue, are  particularly  full  and  select.     The  head  of  Criticism  presents 

'Annals  28:  1105-1106.  »Vol.  7,  p.  285. 

^Copied   by   the  Washington  City    Weekly  Gazette,  July   12,    1817,   and  by  the 
National  Intelligencer,  July  14,  181 7. 


90  PURCHASE   OF  THE  JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

a  number  of  precious  works  relating  to  the  Anglo-Saxon  and  old  British 
languages,  and  when  we  advert  to  the  condition  of  the  Fine  Arts  in  the 
United  States, — whatever  may  be  the  pretentions  advanced, — we  cannot 
attach  too  much  importance  to  the  contents  of  the  chapters  under  that 
title  in  Mr.  Jefferson's  catalogue.  There  is,  in  the  most  attractive  and 
splendid  form,  all  that  could  be  desired, — especially  in  architecture, 
where  we  are  most  lame, — for  the  diffusion  of  technical  knowledge  and 
the  improvement  of  the  public  taste.  And  most  of  the  great  works  and 
celebrated  elementary  treatises  in  the  mathematical  and  physical  sciences, 
are  included  in  the  collection.  Three-fourths,  indeed,  of  the  whole 
number  of  volumes  are  of  the  highest  reputation  and  of  acknowledged 
authority.     *     *     * 

The  next  generation  will,  we  confidently  predict,  blush  at  the  objec- 
tions made  in  Congress  to  the  purchase  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  library. 
Party-spirit,  darkling  and  chafing,  spoke  the  language  of  an  auctioneer 
or  a  chapman,  and  erred  egregiously  even  in  its  huckstering  calculations; 
for  Mr.  Jefferson's  library  was  worth,  and  would,  in  all  likelihood,  have 
brought  in  the  market,  at  least  double  the  sum  allotted  b}^  Congress  to 
the  purchase.  We  should  be  at  a  loss  to  fix  the  proportion  between  the 
price  and  the  acquisition,  if  we  took  into  the  account  the  value  of  the 
latter  in  other  points  of  view.  This  will  be  one  daj'^  duly  appreciated, 
without  looking  to  the  time  when  the  Bibliomania  may  rage  in  the 
United  States;  a  period  which  may  be  descried,  although  at  the  end  of 
a  long  vista. 

From  tliis  it  was  evident  that  the  main  objection  to  the  pur- 
chase from  the  Republican  point  of  view  was  the  expense  to 
the  Government.  But  even  this  objection  might  be  removed 
by  showing  that  the  library  at  the  price  at  which  it  was  bought 
was  a  bargain.  So  the  Essex  Register^  Salem,  November  8, 
1815,  copied  by  the  National  Intelligencer^  November  14,  said: 

A  writer  in  the  Richmond  Daily  Compiler  has  attempted  to  remove 
the  objections  to  the  purchase  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  library,  upon  the  con- 
sideration of  interest. 

It  is  not  believed  that  any  objections  have  been  made  from  pure  con- 
viction of  error  in  the  purchase,  but  many  will  be  silent  if  they  know 
the  country  has  made  a  good  bargain.  This  writer  adduces  the  lyondon 
prices,  and  the  prices  paid  by  Congress,  and  having  specified  each,  that 
any  man  might  satisfy  himself,  discovers  at  the  foot  of  the  account  that 
in  thirty-seven  volumes  the  sterling  cost  would  amount  to  upwards  of 
$1,500,  when  Congress  did  not  pay  $300,  gives  the  country,  in  these 
volumes  only,  the  advantage  of  upwards  of  $1,200.  Surely  no  man  will 
pronounce  that  a  Government  which  could  purchase  at  such  a  rate 
ought  to  refuse  the  purchase. 


VALUE  OF  THE   LIBRARY.  91 

Upon  wliich  a  correspondent  of  the  Intelligencer^  Novem- 
ber 16,  remarked: 

In  your  paper  of  yesterday,  I  discovered  an  attempt  to  calculate  the 
value  of  the  United  States  library.  I  believe  no  one  can  form  any  ade- 
quate estimate  of  this  purchase.  The  library  is  such  as  to  render  all 
valuation  absurd  and  impossible,  if  valuation  were  admitted  into  litera- 
ture. It  is  such  a  library  as  cannot  be  bought  in  the  ordinary  mode  in 
which  books  are  purchased,  because  many  of  the  books  that  are  ines- 
timable are  wholly  out  of  print,  and  many  in  manuscript  that,  of  course, 
could  not  be  procured.  I  have  had  an  opportunity,  from  the  privilege 
of  frequent  examination,  imperfectly  to  discover  that  it  is  unique — a 
library  which,  for  its  selection,  rarity,  and  intrinsic  value,  is  beyond  all 
price.  For  the  satisfaction  of  calculators,  however,  I  will  barely  men- 
tion the  value  marked  in  English  catalogues,  of  a  few  books  which  this 
library  contains: — De  Bry's  Collection  of  Voyages,  3  volumes,  ^400 
sterhng;  Purchas'  Pilgrimes,  i  volume,  ^56  sterling;  Smith's  History 
of  Virginia,  i  volume  folio,  ^42  sterling,  etc. ;  while  the  Government 
paid  but  $3  per  volume.  It  contains  Buffon's  Birds,  10  volumes,  quarto, 
5  volumes  of  colored  plates;  Catesby's  Natural  History  of  Carolina,  2 
volumes,  foho;  King  James's  works;  Chaucer's  Poems,  in  black  letter; 
all  the  Greek  and  Latin  classics  extant;  Martyr's  History  of  the  West 
Indies;  the  best  authors  in  the  French,  Spanish  and  English  languages, 
with  a  variety  of  other  works  it  would  be  difficult  to  enumerate. 

Of  the  wit  and  argument  of  the  Federal  press,  on  the  other 
hand,  there  is  a  good  specimen  in  the  Georgeto\vn  Daily 
Federal  Republican^  October  18,  1814: 

To  Thomas  Jefferson,  esquire,  late  President  of  the  United  States — 

Dear  Sir: — I  have  a  library  of  books  which  I  should  be  glad  to  sell. 
It  consists  of  about  5000  volumes,  selected  with  care  and  caution. 
Various  projects  had  occurred  to  me  to  effect  this  object,  but  none 
had  appeared  free  of  objection.  One  feels  awkwardly  to  be  hawking 
his  commodities  about  the  streets,  and  to  send  such  a  quantity  of  books 
to  auction  and  hire  a  master  of  the  arts,  which  there  succeed  to  puff 
them  off  with  the  prevalent  common-place  slang,  seems  not  quite  con- 
sistent with  those  delicate  feelings  which  should  govern  high-minded 
men.  At  the  same  time,  the  object  is  interesting,  and  if  an  old  man 
can  turn  his  books  into  cash,  just  as  he  has  done  with  them  and  the 
world,  at  a  good  price,  and  especially  if  a  great  portion  of  them  were 
presents  to  him,  (which,  inter  nos,  you  know  is  the  fact  with  yours 
and  mine),  it  would  be  quite  a  handsome  speculation,  and  save  his 
executors  much  trouble. 

Observing  that  you  have,  in  one  of  your  lucky  moments,  (and  I  never 
knew  a  man  who  had  more  such  moments),  hit  upon  a  project  entirely 


92  PURCHASE  OF  THE  JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

new,  and  seeing  that  it  is  very  popular,  I  wish  to  know  if  you  cannot, 
in  a  second  appHcation  to  Congress,  through  some  Republican  friend, 
aid  me.  My  grandfather,  my  father,  and  myself,  have  employed  much 
time  in  the  last  century  and  in  this,  in  making  the  collection,  so  that  it 
may  be  considered  as  the  acquisition  of  nearly  one  hundred  years  labour. 
Many  of  my  books  are  rare,  most  of  them  elegant  and  all  inestijnable. 
A  considerable  part  of  the  works  are  in  Sanscrit,  Coptic,  Celtic,  and 
Arabic  tongues.  These  can  be  translated,  if  it  is  thought  proper,  at 
little  expense,  though  I  should  prefer  that  they  should  remain  as  writ- 
ten, and  would  respectfully  recommend  that  Congress  should  immedi- 
ately employ  a  competent  number  of  professors  to  teach  the  members  of 
that  honorable  body  those  languages.  I  am  aware  that  there  is  not  now 
so  much  ' '  surplus  revenue ' '  as  there  was  under  your  glorious  adminis- 
tration (owing  to  the  war  which  the  ' '  vandalism ' '  of  Great  Britain  has 
produced),  yet  stock  may  be  created  sufficient  for  their  salaries  and 
contingent  funds.  I  hope  I  shall  not  be  thought,  by  this,  to  wish  to 
seethe  "undefined  field  of  contingencies"  opened  again,  if  they  have 
ever  been  closed. 

My  grandfather  was  a  Dutch  merchant,  and  spent  all  his  time,  while 
resident  in  Amsterdam,  except  what  was  employed  in  smoaking,  in  the 
' '  principal  book  marts, ' '  laying  aside  all  the  works  of  genius  and  taste 
which  that  country  produced.  The  treatises  there  obtained  are  chiefly 
devoted  to  music,  painting  and  poetry.  My  father  and  I  have  passed 
much  time  in  both  the  Indies,  and  have  occasionally  visited  almost  all 
the  enlightened  parts  of  each.  Our  intercourse  was  not  confined  to  those 
regions,  but  has  been  extended  from  Kamschatka  to  Buenos  Ayres.  A 
propensity  for  curious  books,  in  every  science,  being  incident  to  the 
family,  it  will  not  be  thought  vain  in  me  to  declare  that  this  library  is 
exceeded  only  by  yours. 

Being  now  nearly  eighty  years  of  age,  and  having  no  children,  to 
whom  my  estate  can  descend,  and  not  finding  much  time  for  reading,  I 
should  be  much  pleased  to  turn  these  books  into  cash.  A  few  of  them, 
however,  I  wish  to  retain  for  my  own  use  after  they  shall  be  sold,  taking 
care  to  see,  after  I  am  dead,  that  they  may  be  safely  transmitted  to  Wash- 
ington. Those  of  this  description  are  Vanderhuyden's  poetical  works, 
in  sixteen  volumes,  with  notes,  critical  and  explanatory,  by  Mynheer 
Van  Tromp,  dedicated  to  Admiral  Ruyter,  who  went  up  the  English 
channel,  as  mentioned  in  your  letter.  Also  a  new  edition,  greatly 
enlarged,  of  Robinson  Crusoe,  in  seven  volames,  bound  in  calf,  contain- 
ing full-length  portraits  of  that  great  traveller  and  his  man  Friday,  with 
exact  drawings  of  their  working  tools  and  other  implements,  with  fac- 
similes of  their  hand-writing.  Also,  the  whole  works  of  Thomas  Paine, 
your  old  friend,  "who  has  already  received  his  reward  in  the  thankful- 
ness of  nations,"  consisting  of  his  invaluable  discoveries  in  moral,  politi- 
cal and  theological  science.     These  copies,  (I  believe  I  have  only  thirty 


VALUE   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  93 

different  editions),  with  those  included  in  your  proposals,  and  the  vari- 
ous editions  of  Hobbes  and  Spinosa,  those  learned  and  virtuous  men, 
will  be  sufficient,  in  that  peculiarly  charming  part  of  theology,  for  the 
Congressional  Librar>\ 

As  to  the  price,  I  shall  leave  it  entirely  with  the  liberality  of  Con- 
gress, not  wishing  to  be  my  own  judge,  and  believing,  inter  nos,  that  by 
thus  reposing  on  their  generosity,  the  books  will  sell  at  from  fifty  to  one 
hundred  per  cent,  higher  than  in  any  other  conceivable  mode.  To  pro- 
mote the  bargain,  I  wish  you  to  suggest,  at  the  outset  of  your  letter, 
that  I  hate,  abhor,  and  detest  with  all  my  soul,  strength  and  under- 
standing, the  whole  British  nation;  that  I  consider  every  Englishman, 
except  those  who  have  been  naturalized  here,  (and  them,  I  sincerely 
love),  a  thief,  liar,  poltroon,  robber,  murderer,  assassin,  traitor,  and  that 
every  man,  woman  and  child  ought  to  be  hung,  imbo welled,  impaled,  or 
broken  on  a  w^heel.  In  fine,  that  the  character  of  that  people  is  justly 
pourtrayed  in  a  late  Washington  City  Gazette,  a  paper  which  is  second 
only  to  the  National  Intelligencer,  and  Binns's  Democratic  Press,  for 
truth  and  wisdom;  I  am  aware  that  such  an  introduction  to  a  letter, 
proposing  merely  to  sell  books,  is  rather  unusual,  but  I  see  you  have 
resorted  tp  it,  and  I  think  very  wisely.  People  are  to  be  treated  accord- 
ing to  their  prejudices  and  partialities,  and  I  have  witnessed  your  suc- 
cess with  them,  b}"  those  means,  in  your  splendid  career  from  your 
inaugural  address,  through  dry-docks,  gunboats,  and  salt  mountains  down 
to  that  most  august  measure,  the  embargo. 

I  intended  to  have  furnished  you  with  an  elegant  catalogue  of  my 
library,  that  it  might  have  been  open  to  inspection;  but  am  now  wholly 
occupied  in  furnishing  a  drawing  of  the  Capitol  and  President's  House, 
while  on  fire,  with  Mr.  M.  mounted  on  a  fleet  charger,  and  in  full  speed 
flying  to  a  place  of  safety,  from  the  ' '  vandalism ' '  of  the  enemy,  and 
Captain  Jones,  with  a  boatswain's  whistle,  calling  all  hands  to  burn  the 
Navy  Yard,  and  the  frigate  on  the  stocks  to  prevent  them  from  being 
carried  away  by  the  Cossacks.  I  will,  however,  mention  a  few  of  the 
great  number  of  books,  and  give  you  a  sketch  of  the  character  of  the 
whole. 

There  are  entire  sets  of  all  the  works  of  all  the  atheistical  writers  in 
every  age  and  nation  and  tongue,  superbly  bound  and  lettered.  Forty 
different  editions  of  the  Bible,  thirty-nine  of  which  are  in  the  Arabic, 
and  one  in  the  Hebrew  idiom ;  these  are  as  good  as  when  they  came  from 
the  hands  of  the  book-binder.  A  very  learned  treatise  in  ten  volumes 
quarto,  on  the  nature,  properties,  and  uses  of  the  animal  called  tad-pole, 
?tiled  vulgarly,  Polly-wangs,  with  an  appendix,  in  three  volumes;  on  the 
toad  of  Caffraria.  The  whole  of  these,  I  have  caused  to  be  translated 
into  six  different  languages.  There  is  also,  an  elaborate  and  voluminous 
account  of  the  terrapin,  sometimes  called  mud-turtle,  written  by  the 
author  of  sundry  ingenius  disquisitions  on  gun-boats  and  dry-docks,  in 


94  PURCHASE   OF  THE  JEFFERSON  LIBRARY. 

modern  French.  An  essay  on  "free-trade  and  sailors'  rights,"  by  a 
citizen  of  Algiers,  bound  in  morocco  with  a  copious  appendix  on  alle- 
giance. In  this  will  be  found  a  great  part  of  the  instructions  given  to 
the  American  ministers  at  Petersburgh  and  at  Ghent.  It  is  embellished 
with  striking  likenesses  of  John  Henry  and  the  Duke  de  Crillon.  Also, 
a  new  edition  in  several  volumes  folio,  on  the  Russian  climate,  and  its 
effects  on  Frenchmen,  French  horses  and  American  politics,  with  very 
learned  notes  by  his  Excellency  Jonathan  Russell,  late  charge  de  aif aires 
at  the  Court  of  St.  James,  now  minister  Plenipotentiary  at  London, 
Envoy  Extraordinary  at  Gottenburgh  and  Ghent,  otherwise  called 
Jonathan  Russell,  esquire  of  Providence,  Trader.  This  book  is  dedicated 
to  Napoleon  Bonaparte  living  at  Elba;  it  went  through  six  editions  at 
Ghent  in  four  months.  A  treatise  on  Treasury  notes,  Banks  and  paper 
money,  bound  in  calf,  with  a  splendid  title  page,  by  Jacob  Barker, 
Superintendent  General  of  the  Finances  of  the  United  States  and  first 
lord  of  the  Treasury,  A  work  of  great  worth,  written  in  Persian,  on  the 
grass-hopper  of  the  east,  delineating,  with  entire  accuracy,  the  size  of  his 
legs  in  different  regions  of  that  extensive  country,  with  a  copious  appen- 
dix, containing  the  whole  learning  on  the  subject  of  that  highly  curious 
animal  called  the  weasel.  A  complete  system  of  ornithology,  giving  an 
account  of  every  flying  creature,  from  the  insect  of  a  day  to  the  whip- 
poor-will,  the  night-hawk  and  the  crane,  in  blank  verse,  by  Inchiquin, 
translated  from  the  Italian  into  the  Sclavonic,  by  a  learned  foreigner, 
comprized  in  thirteen  volumes  folio. 

Of  the  whole  collection,  I  take  the  liberty  of  saying,  that  it  has  been 
made  with  a  particular  view  to  the  promotion  of  genuine  republicanism, 
and  the  true  orthodoxy  in  matters  of  faith  of  regenerated  France,  as  set 
forth  by  those  great  apostles,  Diderot,  De  Lambert,  Paine  and  Godwin. 
The  books  are  in  excellent  order,  many  of  them  truly  elegant.  Not  a 
syllable  could  be  taken  from  them  without  prejudice  to  the  rest,  as  all 
the  arts  and  sciences  have  a  certain  natural  connection.  I  cannot  con- 
sent to  see  my  library  gerry-mandered,  for  though  such  procedures  are 
proper  to  promote  democracy,  which  you  know  is  the  "chief  end  of 
man,"  yet  they  are  not  admissible  in  cases  like  the  present.  I  must  sell 
the  whole  or  none.  Ten  wagons  would  carry  the  whole  from  my  resi- 
dence, which  is  only  two  hundred  miles  up  the  Missouri,  in  the  vicinity 
of  our  red  brethren,  the  allies  of  England,  to  Washington,  in  a  short 
space  of  time. 

If  it  should  be  objected,  that  four-fifths  of  this  library  are  in  foreign 
languages,  and  of  course,  unintelligible  by  nine-tenths  of  the  members 
of  Congress,  I  would  reply  that  such  an  objection  can  come  only  from 
short-sighted  men.  The  enlightened  philosopher  looks  to  the  present 
war,  which  we  have  so  wisely  and  righteously  waged,  as  terminating 
not  only  in  the  everlasting  establishment  upon  an  eternal  basis  of  ' '  free- 
trade  and  sailors'  rights,"  (and  if  it  should  not  so  issue,  we  can  make 


VALUE   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  95 

another  war  at  any  time),  but  also  in  the  conquest  of  immeasurable 
regions  to  the  north,  west  and  south,  and  to  the  day  when  the  represent- 
atives of  this  country  will  be  composed  ' '  of  all  people,  nations  and  lan- 
guages under  the  whole  Heavens. ' ' 

Accept  the  assurance  of  my  high  consideration. 

Johannes  Vonderpuff. 

Missouri,  October  ist,  1814. 

Among  those,  however,  who  judged  the  librar}^  with  a  more 
impartial  mind,  it  was  felt  that  while  the  collection  lacked  in 
the  mathematical  and  physical  branches,  for  which  Jefferson 
for  the  past  forty  years  had  had  no  time,'  and  was  deficient  in 
the  historical  and  political  literature  of  the  past  ten  years, 
and  that  the  books  which  Jefferson  had  received  as  an  hom- 
age to  his  character  and  taste  were,  for  the  most  part,  of  no 
value,  still  it  was  recognized  that  opportunities  for  the  col- 
lection of  material  illustrative  of  American  history,  such  as 
Jefferson  had  enjoyed  while  in  Burope,  would  never  come 
again.  It  was  believed,  too,  that  his  subsequent  collection 
made  in  America,  of  speeches,  pamphlets,  and  books  relat- 
ing to  the  history  of  the  Revolution,  showing  the  arguments 
urged  to  bring  on  the  contest,  the  reasoning  required  to  keep 
the  revolutionary  spirit  alive,  to  induce  the  people  to  form 
and  accept  a  form  of  government,  and  to  secure  the  liberty 
they  had  achieved,  was  greater  than  that  of  any  other  indi- 
vidual in  the  country.^  And  it  was  understood  that  the 
books  relating  to  foreign  affairs  and  institutions  selected  by 
a  statesman  of  Jefferson's  ability  would  be  of  greater  value  to 
the  statesman  who  succeeded  him  in  power  than  those  which 
might  be  chosen  by  persons  either  dunces  or  novices  in  the 
science  of  politics. 

Jared  Sparks,^  who  saw  the  collection  in  1826,  considered  it 
valuable,  or  at  least  more  valuable  than  the  rest  of  the 
library,  which  contained  about  the  same  number  of  volumes 
and  had  cost,  not  counting  the  expenditure  of  sen^ice,  about 
the  same  amount  of  money.     George  Ticknor,   another  of 

'Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  83,  No.  125.     Jefferson  to  John  Vaughan,  March  i, 
1815. 
"S.  L.  Knapp,  Sketches  of  public  characters,  1830,  p.  118. 
3H.  B.  Adams,  Life  of  Sparks  i:  462. 


96  PURCHASE  OF  THE  JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

those  bookmen  who  made  New  England  the  center  of  learn- 
ing in  the  early  part  of  the  century,  saw  the  library  before  it 
was  removed  to  Washington  and  wrote  of  it,  February  4, 
1815:'  "In  so  short  a  time  I  could  not,  of  course,  estimate  its 
value,  even  if  I  had  been  competent  to  do  so.  Perhaps  the 
most  curious  single  specimen — or,  at  least,  the  most  charac- 
teristic of  the  man  and  expressive  of  his  hatred  of  royalty — 
was  a  collection  which  he  had  bound  up  in  six  volumes,  and 
lettered  the  '  Book  of  Kings,'  consisting  of  the  Memoires  de 
la  Princesse  de  Bareith,  2  volumes;  Les  Memoires  de  la 
Comtesse  de  la  Motte,  2  volumes;  the  Trial  of  the  Duke  of 
York,  I  volume;  and  The  Book,  i  volume.  These  docu- 
ments of  regal  scandal  seemed  to  be  favorites  with  the 
philosopher,  who  pointed  them  out  to  me  with  a  satisfaction 
somewhat  inconsistent  with  the  measured  gravity  he  claims 
in  relation  to  such  subjects  generally." 

The  English  traveler  Frances  Wright  D'Arusmont  said 
in  1 821:  "  These  volumes  marked  with  the  name  of  America's 
President  and  philosopher,'  will  always  constitute  the  most 
interesting  portion  of  the  National  Library."^  Other  travel- 
ers were  interested  in  other  books.  One,  in  a  copy  of 
Professor  Dalzel's  Collectanea  Graeca  Majora,  which  bore  the 
following  inscription  in  the  autograph  of  the  editor: 

Ad  virum  honoratissimum 

et  doctissimum 
Thomas  Jefferson,  S.  R.  S.,  Edin. 

afFoederatis  Americae  civitatibus 

ad  Regiam  majestatem  Christianissimam 

cum  plena  potestate  legatum 

hunc  librum  observationis  causa 

misit  Andreas  Dalzel/ 

And  another  in  a  copy  of  Dugald  Stewart's  Philosophy  of 
the  human  mind,  on  the  fly-leaf   of   which  was  pasted   the 

•Life,  letters,  and  journals  of  George  Ticknor  i:  35. 

»  Wherever  the  printer's  signature  occurs  at  the  bottom  of  the  page  as  an  I  or  J,  he 
has  made  a  T  before  it,  and  where  T  occurs,  a  J  after  it.  This  private  mark  consti- 
tuted the  initials  of  his  name. 

3Views  of  society  and  manners  in  America,  New  York,  1821,  p.  378. 

■•J.  M.  Duncan,  Travels  through  the  United  States  and  Canada,  Glasgow,  1823, 
1:  260. 


REMOVAL   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  97 

following  original  letter  from  its  illustrious   author   to  Mr. 
Jefferson: 

DEAR  Sir:  The  book  which  accompanies  this  letter  is  the  only  per- 
formance which  I  have  yet  ventured  to  publish.  I  hope  you  will  do  me 
the  honour  to  give  it  a  place  in  your  library-,  and  that  you  will  accept  of 
it  as  a  mark  of  my  grateful  recollection  of  the  attentions  which  I  have 
received  from  you  at  Paris. 

I  am,  Dear  Sir,  Your  most  obedient  and  faithful  serv^ant, 

DuGALD  Stewart. 

College  of  Edinburgh,  ist  October,  1792.' 

REMOVAL    OF    THE  LIBRARY   TO   WASHINGTON. 

On  the  30th  of  January,  1815,  the  same  day  on  which 
the  act  authorizing  the  purchase  of  the  Jefferson  collection 
was  passed,  Mr.  Jefferson  wrote  to  Mr.  Smith,  complaining 
that  he  had  not  heard  from  him  since  October  21,  asking 
to  be  informed  how  the  negotiation  stood,  and  requesting 
the  return  of  the  catalogue  of  his  librar3\^ 

On  the  14th  of  February,  18 15,  the  following  note  was 
received  by  Mr.  Smith  from  the  Library  Committee.^ 

Mr.  Goldsborough  of  the  Senate  presents  his  compliments  to  Mr. 
Smith  and  if  he  will  not  be  otherwise  engaged  at  11  o'clock  tomorrow 
morning,  begs  the  favor  to  see  him  at  that  hour  at  the  Senate  for  the 
purpose  of  concluding  the  negotiations  for  Mr.  Jefiferson's  library." 

As  the  result  of  this  meeting  Mr.  Smith  wrote,  February 
15,  1815,  to  Mr.  Jefferson,  in  reply  to  his  letter  of  January  30: 

*  *  *  Agreeabl}'  to  the  law  lately  passed,  the  Library-  Committee 
have  desired  the  Secretary-  of  the  Treasury-  to  issue,  payable  to  your 
order,  Treasury  notes  to  the  amount  of  $23,950,  this  being  the  exact 
amount  at  which  the  library  was  valued  by  Mr.  Milligan.  Will  you 
advise  me  how  these  notes  should  be  filled?  If  with  your  name,  they 
must  be  sent  to  you  for  your  endorsement  before  they  can  be  transferred 
to  another.  If  you  wish  to  appropriate  them  here  or  elsewhere  to  any 
immediate  purpose,  a  letter  from  j'ou  desiring  them  to  be  filled  with  the 
name  of  any  one,  will  be  a  sufficient  warrant  to  the  Secretary-.  I  have 
requested  that  they  be  not  made  out  until  your  answer  is  received. 

The  chairman  of  the  committee  has  promised  a  return  of  the  cata- 
logue.    *     ^     *' 

'James  Stuart,  Three  years  in  North  America,  Edinburgh,  1833,  2:  84. 
^Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  78,  No.  36. 
3  J.  Henley  vSmith  MSS. 

23399-^4 7 


98  PURCHASE   OF  THE  JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

The  letter  concludes  with  the  remark  that  the  committee 
would  seek  legislation  regarding  the  transportation  of  the 
library. 

On  the  27th  of  Februar}^  Jefferson  answered  Mr.  Smith's 
letter  regarding  the  method  of  payment  for  the  library  and 
made  some  suggestions  regarding  the  transportation  of  the 
library.' 

With  respect  to  the  Treasury  notes  they,  of  course,  should  not  be 
made  until  the  librarj^  is  deHvered,  or  ready  to  be  dehvered.  When 
this  takes  place,  I  will  take  the  liberty  of  specifying  my  wishes  as  to 
the  notes.  As  soon  as  I  receive  the  catalogue,  I  will  set  about  revis- 
ing and  arranging  the  books.  This  can  be  done  onlj^  by  myself,  and 
admits  of  no  help;  in  doing  it  I  must  be  constantly  on  mj^  legs,  and 
I  must  ask  indulgence,  therefore,  to  proceed  only  as  my  strength  will 
admit.  I  count  on  its  taking  me  many  daj's,  perhaps  a  fortnight.  As 
soon  as  all  are  in  their  places  and  numbered,  I  will  give  you  notice.  I 
am  now  calling  in  all  which  have  been  lent  out  as  far  as  noted,''  but 
there  will  doubtless  be  manj-  irrecoverably  lost.  As  these  must  be 
struck  off  the  catalogue,  and  deductions  accordingly  made  from  the 
amount  of  compensation,  it  would  be  not  only  very  desirable  to  me,  but 
entirely  proper  to  have  some  agent  of  the  committee  here  to  see  what 
are  delivered,  and  adjust  the  deductions,  as  well  as  to  superintend  the 
packing,  and  perhaps  the  transportation.  It  would  be  a  great  pity  to 
have  the  finer  bindings  destroyed  for  want  of  this  small  additional 
expense.  Mr.  Milligan  in  a  former  letter  to  me,  expressed  his  willing- 
ness to  come  and  see  to  the  packing,  and  whatever  else  might  be  neces- 
sar>%  and  no  one  could  be  more  competent  to  the  whole  business. 
However,  he,  or  an}'  other  person,  whom  the  committee  shall  appoint 
will  be  acceptable  to  me.  I  send  you  on  the  next  leaf  some  notes 
which  may  be  useful  towards  arranging  the  transportation.  The  com- 
pensation embracing  the  whole  of  the  catalogue,  I  shall  not  retain  a 
single  one,  the  only  modification  to  be  made  being  a  deduction  from 
the  compensation  in  proportion  to  the  size  and  number  of  the  books 
which  on  the  review  shall  appear  to  have  been  lost. 

'Jefferson's  letter  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  Alexander  J.  Dallas,  giving 
directions  for  the  payment,  is  dated  April  18,  1815.  It  is  printed  in  the  Writings  of 
Thomas  Jefferson,  edited  by  P.  L,.  Ford,  vol.  9,  pp.  514-515.  The  letters  from  Dallas 
to  Jefferson,  inclosing  notes  in  payment  for  the  library,  are  dated  Februarj'  21,  1815, 
and  April  28,  1815.     They  are  in  the  Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  29,  Nos.  60-61. 

'See  letters  to  George  Hay,  February  26;  W.  W.  Hening,  March  ir  and  25, 
April  8;  L.  H.  Girardin,  March  27;  series  2,  vol.  45,  Nos.  130,  173,  174;  series  i, 
vol.  14,  No.  29.  And  those  to  Watterston,  June  3,  1816,  Jime  20,  1816,  and  October 
20,  1818. 


REMOVAL   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  99 

OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE    TRANSPORTATION   OF   THE    MONTlCELLO 

I^IBRARY. 

The  books  stand  at  present  in  pine  cases  with  backs  and  shelves  with- 
out fronts.  The  cases  are  generally  of  three  tier,  one  upon  another, 
about  9  feet  high  in  the  whole.  The  lowest  case  is  generally  13  inches 
deep,  the  second  6^  inches  and  the  vippermost  ^^,  averaging  Sj4 
inches,  to  that  add  }^  inch  for  the  front  of  boards  to  be  nailed  on,  and 
it  makes  g}(  inches  depth.  I  have  measured  the  surface  of  wall  which 
these  cases  cover  and  find  it  to  be  855.39  feet,  which  divided  into  the 
depth  of  9^2  inches  equals  676  cubic  feet;  of  this  232  cubic  feet  would 
be  the  wood  of  the  cases  and  444  cubic  feet  the  books.  I  find  a  cubical 
foot  of  books  to  weigh  40  pounds,  and  as  this  is  the  weight  of  dry  pine 
also,  we  need  not  distinguish  between  the  weight  of  the  wood  and  the 
books,  but  say  the  whole  676  cubic  feet  at  40  pounds  makes  27046 
pounds,  or  eleven  waggon  loads  of  2458  pounds  each. 

It  is  said  that  waggon  hire  at  Washington  is  eight  dollars  a  day,  find- 
ing themselves  here  it  is  exactly  half  that  price,  or  a  half  dozen  waggons 
can  be  got  here  at  four  dollars,  who  will  undertake  to  carry  2500 
pounds.  I  think  it  would  be  better,  therefore,  to  employ  the  waggons 
of  this  neighborhood,  and  let  them  make  two  trips,  but  as  the  inter- 
stices between  the  books  and  shelves  (which,  how^ever,  are  ver>'  .small), 
will  require  a  certain  quantit}-  of  book  binder's  paper-parings;  a  great 
many  elegant  bindings  will  require  to  be  wrapped  in  waste  paper,  and 
all  .should  have  .slips  of  paper  between  them,  which  cannot  be  had  here. 
Would  it  not  be  nece-ssarj-  to  send  on  a  waggon  load  from  Washington 
to  be  deposited  here  before  the  books  are  packed?  It  might  take  a 
return  load  of  the  books.  And  the  books  should  go  in  their  cases, 
every  one  in  its  station,  .so  that  the  cases  on  their  arrival  need  only  be 
set  up  on  end,  and  thej^  will  be  arranged  exactly  as  they  .stand  in  the 
catalogue.  I  will  have  the  fronts  closed  with  boards  for  the  journey, 
which,  being  taken  off  on  their  arrival  at  Washington,  sash  doors  may 
be  made  there  at  little  expense.  But  the  books  will  require  careful  and 
skilful  packing,  to  pre\^ent  their  being  rubbed  in  so  long  and  rough  a 
journey,  by  the  jolting  of  the  waggons. 

The  best  road,  by  far,  for  waggons  at  this  .season,  is  from  Monticello 
by  Orange  Court  Hou.se,  Culpeper  Court  House,  Fauquier  Court  House, 
Emil's  mill,  Sorgater  Lanes,  and  George  T.  ferry,  becau.se  it  is  along 
cross  roads  nearly  the  whole  way,  which  are  very  little  travelled  by 
waggons.  The  road  by  Fredericksburg  is  considerably  further,  and 
deeply  cut  through  the  whole.  That  by  Stephensburg  is  the  shortest 
and  levellest  of  all,  but  being  generally  a  deep  living  clay  is  absolutely 
unpassable  from  November  to  May.  The  worst  circumstance  of  the 
road  by  the  Court  Hou.ses  is  that  two  branches  of  the  Rappahannock 
and  three  of  the  Occoquam  are  to  be  forded,  and  they  are  liable  to  sud- 


lOO  PURCHASE   OF   THE  JEFFERSON   LIBRARY. 

den  swells.'  I  presume  a  waggon  will  go  loaded  in  seven  days,  and 
return  empty  in  six,  and  allowing  one  for  loading  and  accidents,  the 
trip  will  be  of  a  fortnight  and  come  to  $56.  I  will  have  the  waggons 
engaged  if  it  is  desired,  to  attend  on  any  day  which  may  be  named.'' 

lu  Mr.  Smith's  letter  to  Jefferson  of  the  15th  of  February, 
he  had  observed  that  the  Library  Committee  would  introduce 
a  bill  in  Congress  providing  for  the  transportation  of  the  Jef- 
ferson library  to  Washington.  The  committee  had  also  to 
provide  a  room  for  its  reception.  Accordingly  a  report  was 
made  by  the  committee  in  the  Senate,  February  20,^  as 
follows: 

That  in  pursuance  of  the  act  of  Congress  passed  at  the  present  session, 
they  have  lodged  an  order  with  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in  favor 
of  Thomas  Jefferson,  Esquire,  late  President  of  the  United  States,  for 
the  sum  of  $23,950  in  Treasury  notes,  as  the  purchase  money  for  his 
library,  for  the  use  of  Congress. 

As  the  authority  of  the  Committee,  under  the  act  of  December,  i8i  i ,  by 
which  they  are  created  does  not  extend  beyond  the  expenditure  of  the 
annual  fund  of  one  thousand  dollars,  and  such  balances  as  may  have 
remained  on  hand  for  the  purpose  of  making  additions  to  the  library, 
they  respectfully  submit  to  Congress  the  propriety  of  providing  a  Ubrary 
room,  and  for  transporting  the  library  lately  purchased,  to  the  City  of 
Washington. 

With  this  in  view  the  committee  presented  a  bill  author- 
izing the  President  of  the  Senate  and  the  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  to  select  a  proper  apartment  for  a 
library  room  and  provide  for  the  transportation  of  the  library. 
On  the  2 2d  the  bill  was  considered  in  Committee  of  the 
Whole.  On  motion  by  Mr.  Roberts,  the  bill  having  been 
amended,  the  President  reported  it  to  the  Senate  accordingly, 
and  on  the  23d  the  bill  was  read  the  third  time  and  passed. 

On  the  same  day  a  message  from  the  Senate  informed  the 
House  that  the  Senate  had  passed  the  bill  entitled  "An  act  to 

'Watterston  suggested  in  a  letter  to  President  Madison,  March  25,  that  the  books 
be  brought  to  Washington  by  water,  a  safer  and  less  expensive  route,  he  thought. — 
Madison  MvSS. 

"].  Plenley  Smith  MSS.,  copy  in  Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  78,  No.  38.  Note 
Madison's  letter  to  Jefferson,  March  11,  1815,  Writings  of  Madison,  Congressional 
edition,  1865,  3:  602. 

3Thirteenth  Congress,  third  session,  Senate.  Report  of  the  Library  Committee  on 
the  expediency  of  providing  a  library  room,  and  for  transporting  the  library  lately  pur- 
chased of  Thomas  Jefferson,  esquire,  to  the  city  of  Washington,  February  20,  1815. 
Washington,  Roger  C.  Weightman,  1815.     i  p.     8°. 


REMOVAL   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  lOI 

provide  a  library  room,  and  for  transporting  the  librarj^  lately 
purchased,"  and  on  I^Iarch  3  the  bill  passed  the  House.' 

AN  ACT  to  provide  a  library  room,  and  for  transporting  the  library  lately 

purchased. 

Be  it  enacted,  &c. ,  That  the  President  of  the  United  States  be,  and  he 
is  hereby,  authorized  to  cause  a  proper  apartment  to  be  immediately 
selected  and  prepared  for  a  library  room,  and  to  cause  the  library, 
lately  purchased  from  Thomas  Jefferson,  to  be  placed  therein  during  the 
ensuing  recess  of  Congress. 

Sec.  2.  Ajid  be  it  further  enacted.  That  the  accounting  ofl&cers  of  the 
Treasury'  be,  and  they  are  hereby,  authorized  and  directed  to  settle  the 
account  of  the  expenditures  incurred  under  this  act;  and  that  the 
account  so  settled  shall  be  paid  out  of  any  moneys  in  the  Treasury,  not 
otherwise  appropriated. 

Approved,  March  3,  1815. 

On  the  nth  of  March,  1815,  Air.  Smith  wrote  to  Jefferson:^ 
"Congress  having  on  the  last  da}'  of  this  sitting,  modified 
the  pending  bill  for  the  transportation  of  the  library,  so  as 
to  leave  the  necessary  disposition  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  I  j^esterday  conferred  with  him  on  the  subject. 
He  considers  it  advisable  to  postpone  its  transportation  until 
some  time  in  May,  and  that  it  be  transported  b}'  land  in 
such  a  way  as  shall  be  most  agreeable  to  you.  For  this  pur- 
pose, it  is  contemplated  to  emplo}-  Joseph  Doughert}'.  I 
fonvard  to  \o\\  in  a  distinct  packet  the  catalogue."' 

Alread}^  Jefferson  had  written  to  Joseph  Dougherty,  his 
old  coachman  at  the  White  House :  ^ 

MoNTiCELLO,  Febricary  2^. 
*  *  *  Your  letter  of  the  15th  was  eight  days  on  the  road,  and  I 
answer  it  by  the  first  return  of  our  mail.  I  had  prepared  for  Mr.  Smith 
some  notes  on  the  transportation  of  the  library,  and  as  they  give  easily 
all  the  information  you  desire,  I  send  a  copy  of  them  on  the  next  leaf. 
The}'  will  inform  you  of  the  price  of  waggonage  here,  the  number  which 
will  be  requisite,  the  distance,  and  best  roads,  and  that  I  shall  send  the 
books  in  the  cases  as  they  stand.  I  am  now  preparing  and  joining 
boards  to  cover  the  cases,  and  my  own  workmen  will  do  whatever  is  want- 
ing in  their  line  without  any  additional  charge.  Wishing  everything 
which  may  promote  your  interest,  I  salute  you  with  my  best  wishes. 

Thomas  Jefferson. 

'Annals  28:  252,  257,  262,  267.  "J.  Henley  Smith  MSS. 

3  Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  30,  No.  140. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIKOKNIA 
OAIVTA  BARBARA  COLLEGE  LIBRABT 


I02  PURCHASE  OF  THE  JEFFERSON   LIBRARY, 

On  the  same  day,  February  27,  Jefferson  wrote  to  Milligan, 
who,  it  was  understood,  would  superintend  the  removal  of 
the  library/     On  the  20th  of  March  Milligan  answered: 

Your  esteemed  favor  of  the  27th  ult.,  postmarked  "Milton,"  March 
8th,  reached  me  last  week.  When  you  have  completed  the  review  of 
the  librar}-,  I  am  read}-  to  come  and  pack  the  books.  I  will  have  the 
paper-shavings,  and  wrapping  paper  ready  that  thej'  maj^  be  sent  on 
as  soon  as  I  hear  that  you  are  ready.  It  will  be  necessary  to  have  the 
packing  cases,  that  each  may  contain  about  300  weight,  (but  they  need 
not  be  made  until  I  come) ,  so  that  they  be  made  of  such  size  that  each 
waggon  will  hold  eight  cases. 

With  great  respect,  yours,  Joseph  Milligan. 

On  the  same  day,  March  20th,  the  master  wagoner,  Joseph 
Dougherty,  wrote  to  Mr.  Smith  regarding  the  compensation 
offered  for  his  part  of  the  work:  ^ 

In  our  conversation  yesterday,  relative  to  the  transportation  of  Mr. 
Jefferson's  library  from  Monticello  to  this  place,  I  think  you  said,  that 
the  compensation  to  be  given  to  me  for  superintending  the  bringing  of 
the  librar}'  is  fixt  by  the  President  at  $4  per  day. 

I  will  now  state  what  my  travelling  expenses  will  amount  to  per  day, — 
so  that  you  may  see  what  my  compensation  would  amount  to  per  day. 
Horse-hire,  $1.25  per  day;  breakfast,  $0.50;  dinner,  $0.75;  supper  and 
lodging,  $0.75,  four  gallons  oats  and  hay,  $0.87.  Expence  per  day, 
$4.12. 

To  go  the  upper  road  to  Monticello,  being  a  country  route,  the  above 
charges  would,  perhaps,  be  considerably  lessened. 

I  am,   sir,  your  humble  ser\'ant .  Joseph  Dougherty. 

On  the  4th  of  April,  Smith  accordingly  wrote  to  Madison, 
that  Dougherty  was  dissatisfied  with  the  proposed  compensa- 
tion for  his  serv'ices,  and  said  that  he  asked  $6  a  da3\^  In 
response  Mr.  Smith  received  the  following  memorandum, 
dated  April  11,  1815.^ 

Joseph  Dougherty  will  attend  to  the  transportation  of  Mr.  Jefferson's 
library  on  the  conditions  mentioned  yesterday,  (five  dollars  a  day,  he 
paying  all  his  expenses,)  by  Mr.  Smith. 

While  this  negotiation  with  Dougherty  was  being  carried 
on,  Jefferson  was  supplementing  his  instructions  of  the  27th 

'Mr.  Smith  sent  Jefferson  a  formal  notification  to  this  effect,  March  21,  1S15. — 
J.  Henley  vSmith  MSS. 

»J.  Henley  Smith  MSS.  3  Madison  MSS. 


REMOVAL   OF  THE   LIBRARY.  103 

of   February,  regarding   the   transportation    of   the    librar3^ 
On  the  28th  of  March  he  wrote  to  Alilligan: 

By  a  letter  from  Mr.  Samuel  H.  Smith,  I  am  informed  that  the  Presi- 
dent has  engaged  you  to  come  on  here,  as  soon  as  I  shall  be  ready,  to 
examine  and  pack  the  library,  and  that  Mr.  Dougherty  was  to  superin- 
tend the  transportation.  I  have  been  a  fortnight  laboriously  engaged 
in  revising  the  books,  and  placing  them  on  their  shelves,  every  one  in 
the  place  and  order  in  which  it  stands  in  the  catalogue.  This  I  shall 
finish  the  next  Saturday  (April  ist.)'  We  shall  then  have  only  to  paste 
the  numbers  on  the  books  corresponding  with  the  catalogue,  which  will 
be  a  work  of  three  or  four  da3^s,  say  to  April  5th  or  6th,  and  I  should 
be  glad  if  you  would  be  here  as  soon  as  that  is  done,  sa}'  in  the  latter 
half  of  the  ensuing  week.  There  can  be  no  better  packing  boxes  than 
the  pine  cases  in  which  they  stand,  not  a  book  need  be  moved,  onh-  a 
leaf  of  paper  be  put  between  every  two  volumes,  paper  parings  stuffed 
in  the  inten-al  between  the  top  of  the  books  and  shelf  above,  and  sheets 
of  waste  paper  spread  on  the  whole  face  of  the  press  over  which  the  lid 
is  to  be  nailed.  The  presses  are  of  the  proper  size  to  lay  in  a  waggon, 
except  two  or  three,  which  we  can  easily  cut.  You  must  bring  the 
waste  paper  and  paper  parings,  as  they  cannot  be  had  here,  and  as  I 
presume  a  waggon  must  come  on  with  them,  we  can  load  her  back  with 
books  now  ready.  For  carrying  the  rest  of  the  library,  I  have  recom- 
mended to  take  the  waggons  of  this  neighborhood,  which  can  be  had  for 
$4  a  day.  The  library  not  having  been  revised  for  twenty  years  before, 
I  expected  great  losses.  They  are  not  less  than  expected,  some  can  be 
recovered,  some  replaced,  and  the  rest  more  than  counter\'ailed  by  the 
many  books  which  had  by  accident  been  omitted  to  be  catalogued. 
When  the  President,  while  Secretary  of  State,  was  engaged  in  writing 
on  neutral  rights,  I  lent  him  Wynne's  Life  of  Jenkins,  two  large  folios, 
and  a  work  in  Latin,  entitled  "Scriptores  de  jure  maritimo,"  sc.  Styp- 
mannus,  Heinicke,  Loccenius  et  Heinneccius,  4°.  They  have  never 
returned,  and  are  now  probably  with  the  books  in  the  office  of  State,  if 
they  were  saved  from  conflagration.  Will  you  be  so  good  as  to  inquire, 
and  if  there,  brought  on  with  the  waggon.  Many  of  those  wanting,  I 
think  you  can  procure  in  Washington  and  Georgetown,  at  my  cost,  and 
have  them  brought  on  also.  The  waggon  should  arrive  here  the  day 
after  you.  I  am  very  anxious  to  get  through  your  part  of  this  business, 
the  packing  and  nailing  up,  because  my  affairs  in  Bedford  call  for  me 
distressingly,  and  I  shall  set  out  the  moment  you  are  done.  Dougherty 
may  then  take  off  the  presses  at  his  leisure.  I  state  below  the  books  I 
wish  3'ou  to  try  to  get  and  bring  on. 

Accept  the  assurances  of  my  esteem  and  respect, 

Thomas  Jefferson. 

'Note  also  Jefferson's  letters  to  Madison,  March  23,  and  to  Girardin,  March  27. 
Jeffer-son  MSS.,  series  i,  vol.  14,  Nos.  28,  29. 


I04  PURCHASE  OF  THE  JEFFERSON  LIBRARY. 

Finalh',  on  the  i8th  of  April,  Jefferson  wrote  to  Alexander 
P.  Dallas,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury:'  "The  books  being 
now  all  ready  for  delivery,  and  their  removal  actually  com- 
menced, I  may  with  propriety  now  receive  the  payment:" 
And  on  the  8th  of  May  to  Mr.  Smith:"  "Our  tenth  and  last 
waggon  load  of  books  goes  off  today.  This  closes  the  trans- 
action here.  *  '"''  *  It  is  the  choicest  collection  of  books 
in  the  United  States,  and  I  hope  it  will  not  be  without  some 
general  effect  on  the  literature  of  our  country." 

Within  a  week  the  librar^^  was  in  Washington,  but  of  this 
Jefferson  seems  not  to  have  been  advised,  for  on  the  26th  of 
June  he  wrote  to  Milligan,  asking  whether  the  library  had 
arrived  safely  in  Washington,  and  wishing  to  know  whether 
it  had  yet  been  unpacked  and  replaced  on  its  shelves,  etc. 
Another  month  passed  before  Milligan  answered,  July  31, 
1815:3     ===     *     =:= 

The  library  arrived  in  safety  in  Washington  on  Monday  morning  of 
next  week  after  I  left  Monticello,  that  is  in  six  days  from  the  time  it  was 
put  into  the  waggons,  it  was  safely  laid  in  the  passage  of  the  General 
Post-office,  of  Congress  Hall.  About  three  weeks  ago  I  commenced 
unpacking  it,  and  accomplished  it  last  Monday.  I  am  happy  to  inform 
you  that  it  has  not  received  the  slightest  injury  by  transportation.  The 
room  which  has  been  appropriated  for  it  is  sufficiently  large. 

'Writings  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  edited  by  P.  L.  Ford,  9:  513-514. 

^'J.  Henley  Smith  MSS. 

3jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  61,  No.  86. 

For  packing  and  superintending  the  transportation  of  the  library  Milligan 
received  $972.27.     Report  of  the  Library  Committee,  January  26,  18 16. 

After  the  sale  of  this  first  library  to  Congress  Jefferson  collected  another,  which 
he  bequeathed  to  the  University  of  Virginia,  but  the  condition  of  his  estate  requiring 
that  the  bequest  be  diverted  to  the  payment  of  debts,  the  collection  was  sold  in 
Washington,  in  February,  1829.  In  the  catalogue  of  this  sale  there  were  931  items. 
The  sale  was  advertised  in  the  National  Intelligencer,  February  27.  The  title-page 
and  impi  int  of  the  catalogue  are  as  follows : 

"Catalogue.  President  Jefferson's  library.  Catalogue  of  the  extensive  and 
valuable  library  of  the  late  President  Jefferson  (copied  from  the  original  manu- 
scripts, in  his  handwriting,  as  arranged  by  himself),  to  be  sold  at  auction  at  the 
Long  Room,  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  Washington  City,  by  Nathaniel  P.  Poor,  on  the 
27th  of  February,  1S29.  The  sale  to  commence  at  6  o'clock  p.  m.,  and  will  continue 
from  day  to  day,  until  the  whole  library  is  disposed  of.  Price  of  catalogue  i2>^ 
cents.     Washington.     Printed  by  Gales  and  Seaton,  1829."     14  pp.     8°. 

This  is  in  the  Library  of  Congress.     Miscellaneous  Pamphlets,  vol.  859,  No.  14. 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,    i8i 3-1829 


105 


Chapter  Five, 
development  of  the  library,  181s-1829. 

In  consequence  of  the  ill  feeling  which  arose  over  the 
destruction  of  the  Library  in  1814,  Patrick  Magruder 
resigned  his  position  as  Clerk  of  the  House,  and  at  the  same 
time,  it  is  inferred,  his  position  as  Librarian  of  Congress, 
Januar}'  28,  1815.  In  consequence,  too,  of  the  loss  of  the  old 
Library  it  was  now  determined,  as  Joseph  Milligan  had  sug- 
gested in  his  letter  of  the  24th  of  September,  1814,  to 
Thomas  Jefferson,  to  make  the  office  of  Librarian  distinct 
from  that  of  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  Accord- 
ingly, on  the  2 1  St  of  March,  18 15,  George  Watterston  was 
appointed. 

George  Watterston  was  a  man  ardent  in  temperament,  yet 
modest  and  unobtrusive  in  manner.'  Anne  Royall  saw  him 
in  1824,  ^^^  spoke  with  admiration  of  these  characteristics. 
She  further  remarked  that  he  was  a  man  of  good  size,  neither 
spare  nor  robust,  a  fine  figure,  and  possessed  of  some  personal 
beauty.  "  His  fair  complexion  and  his  striking  countenance," 
she  said,  "show  genius  and  deep  penetration,  marked  with 
a  grave  and  commanding  spirit — a  gentleman  both  in  appear- 
ance and  in  manners."' 

It  was  shortly  after  this — in  the  summer  of  1829,  in  fact — 
that  Mrs.  Royall  was  tried  by  Judge  Cranch  for  being  a 
common  slanderer  and  disturber  of  the  peace  and  happiness 
of  the  good  people  of  the  neighborhood.  In  the  course  of 
the  trial  Mr.  Tims,  Doorkeeper  of  the  Senate,  being  called, 
was  asked  whether  he  knew  of  Mrs.  Royall  slandering  any- 
one. He  promptly  replied,  "  Yes;  she  has  slandered  me; 
she  called  me  an  exemplary  man — now  that's  slander." 
This  was  considered  very  funny;  the  court   roared;  bench, 

'  Obituary  in  National  Intelligencer,  February  6,  1854. 

*  Sketches  of  history,  life,  and  manners  in  the  United  States,  1826,  p.  150. 

107 


Io8  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

bar,  and  jury  all  lost  their  balance.  Tims  himself  was  the 
onl}'  man  left  unmoved.  He  looked  around  grave  as  an 
owl;  just  opposite  to  him  stood  Mr.  Watterston  laughing 
immoderateh^  Tims  catching  sight  of  him  again  opened 
his  oracular  jaws.  "Yes,  sir,"  said  he,  "I  know  of  other 
persons  whom  she  has  slandered.  She  says  in  her  book 
that  Watterston  and  Gales  are  two  of  the  handsomest  men 
in  Washington.  Now  I  leave  it  to  all  the  world  if  that  is 
not  a  slander  on  all  the  other  men  in  the  city." 

But  Air.  Watterston  had  other  qualifications  for  the  posi- 
tion of  Librarian  besides  those  apparent  to  i\Irs.  Royall.  He 
was  a  journalist,  and  therefore  interested  in  live  questions, 
public  questions;  an  author  of  several  books,  and  therefore 
understood  books  as  only  an  author  can;  and  above  all  he 
was  a  bookman — it  is  necessary  only  to  quote  from  his  com- 
monplace books  to  indicate  this.  There  we  find  such  maxims 
as  these:  "A  great  book  is  a  great  evil,"  "Read  much,  but 
not  many  books,"  "A  man  who  reads  a  great  deal  is  like  a 
cormorant — his  literary  appetite  is  never  satisfied." 

George  Watterston  was  born  in  the  harbor  of  New  York 
October  23,  1783.  His  father,  David  Watterston,  a  native 
of  Jedburgh,  Scotland,  had  purchased  property  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  city  of  New  York,  and  was  at  that  time  on 
his  way  to  settle  upon  his  new  possessions. 

In  1 79 1,  the  founding  of  the  new  Federal  capital  offering 
opportunities  for  the  talents  of  the  father  as  master  builder, 
the  family  moved  to  Washington,  and  George  witnessed  the 
laying  of  the  comer  stone  of  the  Capitol  by  President 
Washington,  September  18,  1793. 

This  was  the  only  event  of  importance  in  his  life  until  he 
became  of  school  age  and  was  sent  to  Charlotte  Hall  School, 
situated  in  St.  Mary  County,  Md.  His  associations  with 
this  place  appear  to  have  been  of  the  happiest  character,  and 
led  him  to  revisit  the  place  twenty  years  after  and  write 
about  it  to  the  National  LiteUigencer.^ 

After  leaving  school  Watterston  studied  law  and  finally 
opened  an  o£&ce  in  Hagerstown,  Md.     The  death  of  a  rich 

•August  17,  1825. 


History  of  the  Library  of  Conjjrcss,  vol.  i,  plat**  ". 


LIBRARIAN   WATTERSTON — EARLY   WRITINGS.  109 

uncle  in  Jamaica,  however,  led  him  to  give  up  his  office  in 
this  place  and  make  a  trip  to  the  West  Indies,  his  journal  of 
which  is  still  preserv^ed  in  manuscript  among  the  Watterston 
papers.  He  was  disappointed  in  the  lot  his  uncle  had  pro- 
vided for  him,  but  the  adventure  gave  him  material  for  the 
poem  entitled  "The  Wanderer  in  Jamaica,"  which  he  pub- 
lished in  1810  with  a  dedication  to  Mrs.  Dollj^  Madison. 
This  determined  his  future  career  as  Librarian  of  Congress. 

Returned  from  Jamaica,  he  set  up  in  the  practice  of  law  in 
Washington,  in  partnership  with  Thomas  Law,  made  his  debut 
as  the  annual  orator  of  the  Washington  Benevolent  Society 
of  Young  Men,  January  26,  181 1,'  and  was  married.  The 
notice  of  this  event  in  the  National  Intelligencer^  October  29, 
181 1,  was  as  follows:  "On  Saturda}^  evening,  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Breckenridge,  George  Watterston,  Esquire,  to  Miss  Maria 
Shanley,  all  of  this  City." 

In  181 2  he  was  a  candidate  for  the  position  of  collector  of 
the  District  of  Columbia.^  The  war  with  England  now  waged. 
In  1814  the  British  threatened  the  capital,  and  W^atterston 
marched  with  Capt.  Benjamin  Burch's  company  to  meet  the 
enemy.  No  one  gained  renown  in  the  ensuing  battle — "the 
Bladensburg  races,"  as  the  acquaintances  of  the  returned 
warriors  chose  to  call  it — but  during  the  consequent  occu- 
pation of  the  city^  the  Library  of  Congress  was  destro3'ed 
and  the  old  library  administration  discredited,  as  we  have 
described.  This  was  the  immediate  occasion  of  the  appoint- 
ment of  IMr.  Watterston  as  Librarian. 

The  real  reason  for  Mr.  Watterston's  appointment  as  Libra- 
rian, however,  lay  in  his  attainments  as  a  man  of  letters. 

His  first  publication  was  a  novel — to-day  it  might  be  called 
a  psychological  novel.  It  was  entitled  "The  Lawyer,  or  ]\Ian 
as  he  ought  not  to  be,"  was  dedicated  to  the  Hon.  John 
Buchanan,  chief  judge  of  the  fifth  judicial  district  of  Mary- 
land, and  was  published  anonymously.'^ 

^  National  Intelligencer^  November  26,  1810;  January  24,  181 1. 

"Watterston  to  Madison,  October  28,  1812,  Madison  MSS  . 

3Wattcrston's  house  was  among  those  pillaged.  Ingersoll,  Historical  sketch  of 
the  war  of  1812. 

■•  Pittsburg:  Printed  for  and  published  by  Zadok  Cramer,  and  sold  at  his  bookstore 
(Franklin's  Head),  Market  street,  1808.     236  pp.     front.     12°.     A  second  edition  of 


no  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

In  the  preface  to  this  work  Mr.  Watterston  sa3^s:  "The 
following  sheets  were  written  chiefly  with  the  view  to 
exhibit  the  pernicious  effects  which  result  from  a  vicious 
education,  and  thus  to  show  the  propriety  of  early  instilling 
into  the  3^outhful  mind  principles  of  justice,  of  truth,  of 
honesty." 

In  his  next  work  of  fiction,  "  Glencarn;  or,  The  Disappoint- 
ments of  youth.  A  novel.  By  George  Watterston,  Esq., 
author  of  The  Lawyer,  etc.," '  he  attempted  to  prove  that  hap- 
piness is  the  result  of  a  certain  physical  organization  of  the 
nerves,  modified  by  habits  of  virtue,  and  to  caution  youth 
against  too  implicit  confidence  in  the  integrity  of  man. 

In  1809  he  had  made  an  appearance  as  the  leader  of  a  new 
school  of  literature  in  "The  Child  of  feeling.  A  conied}^,  in 
five  acts."'  In  this  he  observed:  "The  scenes  of  American 
comedy  have  hitherto  been  laid  in  foreign  nations;  their 
effect  has  therefore  been  lost.  The  proper  subject  of  Ameri- 
can comed}^  is  American  character."  This  work  was  wel- 
comed in  the  following  "Prologue  to  'The  Child  of  feeling,'" 
written  by  a  citizen  of  Washington  and  friend  to  Mr. 
Watterston,  and  printed  in  the  National  Intelligeiicer  Jul}^ 
27,  1810: 

Sweet  child  !     Of  Nature's  son  the  rarest  boy, 
Subject  to  every  pain  and  every  joy: 
Nursling  of  Genius!     Deign  his  hopes  to  raise; 
Correct  with  kindness,  and  with  candor  praise, 
Thus  shall  the  Comic  Muse  attain  the  end 
To  which  her  labors  ever  ought  to  tend;  etc. 

Watterston's  next  publications  were  poems.  First,  "The 
Wanderer  in  Jamaica."^  This  poem,  to  which  we  have 
already  referred,  was  dedicated  to  Mrs.  Dolly  Madison  in  the 

this  was  published  in  Charlestown,  Md.,  by  G.  Davidson,  in  1S29,  without  the  dedica- 
tion. A  note  on  the  title-page  of  the  New  York  State  library  copy,  signed  by  S.  G. 
Deeth,  says:  "By  George  Watterston,  many  years  Librarian  of  Congress.  Proof 
catalogue  Congress  L,ibrary,  1839  edition,  page  599."  U  is  also  entered  in  the  Cata- 
logue of  the  Alexandria  library,  1815,  under  Watterston  as  both  author  and  donor. 

'  Alexandria:  Printed  by  Cotton  and  Stewart,  and  sold  at  their  bookstores  in  Alex- 
andria and  Fredericksburg,  1810.     265  pp.     12°. 

'Georgetown:  Published  by  Joseph  Milligan;  Dinsmore  and  Cooper,  printers. 
1809.     113  pp.     16°. 

^Washington  City,  W.  Cooper,  printer,  iSio.     36  pp.     12°. 


LIBRARIAN   WATTERSTONT  AS  JOURNALIST.  Ill 

following  language:  "Madam,  I  have  presumed  to  address 
this  poetical  effusion  to  you,  from  the  reputation  you  have 
acquired  of  being  desirous  to  promote  the  cause  of  general 
literature."  It  was  this  dedication,  gossip  said,  that  led 
President  Madison  to  appoint  Watterston  Librarian  of  Con- 
gress. "The  Wanderer  in  Jamaica"  was  followed  by  "The 
Scenes  of  youth.  A  poem."'  This  was  written  somewhat 
after  the  manner  of  Goldsmith,  and,  on  one  occasion  at 
least,^  inspired  the  muse  of  Noah  Brashears,  a  local  bard  of 
note  in  1830. 

In  1 81 3  Watterston  became  editor  of  the  Washington  City 
Gazette^  established  b}^  William  Elliot  in  support  of  the 
Republican  party.-^ 

It  was  as  a  man  of  letters  that  Watterston  received  his 
appointment  as  Librarian.  But  after  his  appointment  he 
became  interpreter  of  the  literature  in  his  custody  and  ceased 
to  make  any  notable  contributions  to  literature  himself. 

In  the  National  Intelligencer^  July  15,  1820,  there  is  a  song 
by  G.  W.,  entitled  "Columbia,  the  home  of  the  brave  and 
the  free,"  etc.,  and  in  the  same  journal,  August  29,  1825, 
a  poem  by  him  entitled  "The  enigma,"  on  the  setting  of  the 
sun  Friday  evening,  August  12,  1825.  ^"^^  ^  ^^i^  other 
writings  were  suggested  by  the  books  in  the  Library,  or 
by  the  inquiries  of  readers.  Congressmen,  and  others,  or  by 
events  of  the  day. 

Sometimes  his  subject  was  merely  local  or  suggested  by 
some  local  event — a  sketch  of  Thomas  Law,"*  an  essay  on 
music  occasioned  by  the  first  musical  entertainment  in  the 
city — an  oratorio  in  the  Unitarian  church;^  a  description  of 
the  Capitol^  just  then  enlarged,  of  the  Capitol  Rotunda,^  and 
of   plans    for  landscape  gardening   about    the  Capitol.^     Of 

'Washington  City,  printed  by  Rapine  and  Elliot,  near  the  Capitol,  1813.    22  pp.    12°. 

^Columbia's  wreath,  p.  41. 

3 This  statement  is  found  in  a  paper  entitled  "Concerning  J.  C.  Calhoun,  May  ii. 
1851,"  among  the  Watterston  MSvS.;  also  in  New  guide  to  Washington,  1842,  p.  104, 
The  prospectus  of  the  Washington  Gazette,  William  Elliot,  publisher,  J.  Elliot, 
printer,  is  printed  in  the  National  Intelligencer,  December  2,  18 13. 

'■  National  Intelligencer,  October  22,  1S22. 

5  Ibid.,  June  7,  1823. 

6 Ibid.,  Octobers,  12,  1825. 

7 Ibid.,  January  7,  1826. 

*Ibid.,  June  23,  July  i,  11;  August  10,  1825. 


112  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,   1815-1829. 

tills  character  were  also  some  statistics  upon  the  health  of 
Washington '  and  a  letter  to  the  National  Intelligencer  upon 
the  formation  of  a  temperance  society.^ 

At  other  times  his  themes  were  political  or  literary.  Of 
the  former  I  have  noted  contributions  to  the  local  press 
describing  a  visit  to  IVIontlcello  and  Montpeller/'  discussing 
Pinkney  and  Cla}^,"*  and  John  Adams,^  letters  on  the  Qna?'- 
terly  Review's  strictures  on  the  United  States,^  on  the 
Greek  revolution,^  on  Owenlsm,^  on  canals ,9  etc.  Of  mere 
literary  or  scientific  essays  those  on  La  Place, '°  on  Hamlet," 
on  the  Book  of  Job,"  and  on  Piers  Plowman's  vision  '^  are  of 
interest. 

Besides  these  fugitive  journalistic  contributions,  he  for 
short  periods  assumed  the  editorship  of  the  National  Register^ 
a  political  paper  published  by  J.  K.  Meade,  established  In 
18 16,  and  of  the  Washingto7i  City  Chronicle^  a  literary  paper 
published  weekly  by  Rothwell  and  Ustlck,  established  In 
1828.'"^  On  the  13th  of  March,  1827,  filially,  he  commenced 
writing  regularly  for  the  National  Journal  at  $500  per 
annum. '^'' 

Of  greater  significance  than  these  journalistic  efforts,  how- 
ever, were  the  books  which  he  published  during  his  librarian- 
ship.  The  first  of  these  was  the  outcome  of  the  horticultural 
studies  encouraged  b}^  the  Washington  Botanical  Society,  of 
which  he  was  a  secretary.'^  It  was  "A  Memoir  on  the  his- 
tory, culture,  manufacture,  uses,  etc.,  of  the  tobacco  plant." '^ 
Several  other  horticultural  studies  b}-  him  belong  to  this 
period.  They  may  be  seen  In  the  letters  printed  bj^  him  In 
the  National  Intelligencer ,  February  24,  1820,  on  a  botanical 
museum;  June  16,  181 7,  on  crop  prospects  about  Winchester; 
July  21,  1817,  and  June  20,  1820,  on  the  culture  of  the  potato; 

^Washington  Gazette,  January  30,  1826.  "Ibid.,  September  2,  1817. 

^ National  Intelligencer,  K\x^&\.2(j,\%2^.  '^Ibid.,  April  16,  24,  1821. 

3lbid.,  August  15,  1820.  ^'i  National  Journal ,  December  13,  1823. 

*  National  Joniyial,  November  22,  1823.  '■•  Watterston's  New  Guide  to  Washing- 
5 Ibid.,  September  7,  1826.  ton,  1842,  p.  104. 

^National  Intelligencer,  \y>^\\  26,  1S25.  'SWaterston  MSS. 

T  National  Journal ,  January  3,  14,  1824.  '^'^  National  Intelligencer,  March  22,  1S17. 

^  National  Intelligencer,  Mays,  1825.  ''Washington  City,  Printed  by  Jonathan 
9lbid.,  August  18,  1821.  Elliot,  1817.     12  pp.     8°. 

■°  Ibid.,  April  12,  15,  21,  1S17. 


LIBRARIAN  WATTERSTON   AS   POLITICAL  WRITER.       II3 

July  17,  1820,  on  the  night-blooming  cereus,  and  in  the 
Natiofial  Journal^  July  14,  1826,  on  the  silkworm  and  the 
mulberry  tree. 

The  second  book  published  during  these  years  was  the 
outcome  of  his  work  in  the  Librar}^  and  of  his  position  as 
the  ad\4sor  of  members  of  Congress.  It  was  the  "Letters 
from  Washington,  on  the  Constitution,  laws  and  public 
characters  of  the  United  States.  B}^  a  foreigner."  This 
work  is  a  short  analysis  of  the  laws  and  Constitution  of 
the  United  States,  together  with  sketches  of  the  heads  of 
Departments  and  some  of  the  most  distinguished  members 
of  Congress.  In  the  composition  of  this  work  Watterston 
used  Beaujour's  Sketch  of  the  United  States,  Alably's 
Obser\^ations  sur  le  gouvemement  et  les  lois  des  Btats-Unis, 
Jacques  La  Croix's  Constitutions  des  principaux  Btats  de 
I'Burope,  MacNevin's  S^\atzerland,  and  Peuchet's  Statistique 
Elementaire  de  la  France.  The  book  was  unfavorably 
reviewed  in  the  Federal  Republicayi^  but  William  Faux,  in 
his  Memorable  days  in  America,^  acknowledges  his  indebted- 
ness to  it,  and  the  popularit}^  of  the  personal  sketches  led  to 
a  reprint  of  that  part  of  the  book,  with  some  additions,  in  a 
work  entitled  "The  gallery  of  American  portraits,"^  dedi- 
cated to  Henr}'  Cla}^ 

Watterston  intended  to  follow  these  Letters  from  Washing- 
ton by  a  history  of  the  I^Iadison  Administration,  and  wrote  to 
Madison:  •* 

August  4,  1820. 

I  have  in  contemplation  to  undertake  a  history  of  your  Administration, 
which  I  conceive  to  be  the  most  interesting  period,  except  the  Revolu- 
tion, of  American  history.  Could  I  be  so  fortunate  as  to  obtain  your 
aid  in  explaining  the  more  obscure  events  of  that  time,  and  in  furnish- 
ing such  other  information  as  might  be  useful  and  important,  it  would 
not  only  render  me  more  competent  to  the  task,  but  the  work  itself  more 
interesting.     Contemporary  history  has  been  objected  to,  but  I  think  it 

'  There  was  an  answer  to  this  review  in  the  City  of  Washington  Gazette  November 
20,  1818. 

'London,  1823,  pp.  347  et  seq. 

^Washington,  Published  by  Pishey  Thompson;  A.  Rothwell,  printer,  1830.  157 
pp.     12°. 

4  Madison  MvSS. 

23399-<^4 8 


114  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

is  from  that  source,  the  future  historian  is  the  best  enabled  to  obtain  his 
facts  and  to  select  his  matter.  My  respect  for  your  character  may 
indeed  make  me  too  partial,  but  I  shall  always  endeavor  to  keep  in  view 
the  course  an  impartial  historian  should  ever  obser\^e,  when  he  writes 
for  the  edification  of  posterity. 

Be  so  good  as  to  make  my  respects  to  your  excellent  lady;  may  5^ou 
both  enjoy  long  life  and  happiness  as  you  must  enjoy  the  gratitude  and 
respect  of  a  generous  and  enlightened  nation. 

This  project,  however,  seems  to  Have  received  no  encour- 
agement. 

Watterston's  next  pieces  of  literary  work  show  his  interest 
in  education.  One  of  these  was  a  translation  of  a  work  by- 
Simon  Gueullette,  the  title-page  of  which  reads:  "An  easy 
method  of  learning  the  Roman  history;  with  a  chronology  of 
the  Roman  Emperors,  and  an  abridged  account  of  the  Roman 
usages  and  customs.  Designed  for  the  use  of  schools. 
Translated  from  the  French,  with  additions." ' 

His  other  educational  work  was  "A  course  of  study  pre- 
paratory to  the  bar  or  the  Senate;  to  which  is  annexed  a 
memoir  on  the  private  or  domestic  life  of  the  Romans."^ 
In  the  preface  of  this  work  he  explains  its  publication  as 
follows:  "Placed  in  a  situation  in  which  I  have  had  fre- 
quent opportunities  of  witnessing  the  lamentable  waste  of 
time  in  many  who  have  been  disposed  to  be  studious,  from 
the  want  of  an  instructor  to  point  out  the  course  of  reading 
they  should  pursue,  *  *  *  in  the  wide  and  desultory 
range  of  reading  and  of  study  adopted  by  young  men  in 
general,  I  have  seen,  with  regret,  that  much  time  has  been 
wasted,  which,  if  employed  in  a  more  judicious  manner, 
would  have  yielded  the  most  lasting  advantage."  '••  *  * 
Of  its  character  he  goes  on  to  say:  "In  speaking  of  each 

'  City  of  Washington,  Printed  and  published  by  D.  Rapine,  1820.  204  pp.  12°. 
This  was  reviewed  in  the  National  Intelligericer  November  24,  1820.  Three  years 
later  Noah  Brashears,  principal  of  the  Masonic  Hall  Academy,  Wasliington,  pub- 
lished his  Grammatical  tables,  a  work  which  Wattcrston  thought  well  calculated  to 
facilitate  a  knowledge  of  the  English  grammar  in  beginners,  so  ran  the  advertisement 
in  the  National  Journal,  December  20,  1823. 

"Washington,  Printed  and  published  by  Davis  and  Force  (Franklin's  Head),  Penn- 
sylvania Avenue,  1823.  240  pp.  12°.  This  work  was  first  presented  to  the  public 
in  a  course  of  lectures.— National  Intelligencer,  January  3,  1823.  The  essay  on 
the  manners  of  the  Romans  was  based  upon  the  M^moires  de  I'Acad^mie  des 
inscriptions  et  belles-lettres,  and  D'Arnay's  work. 


LIBRARIAN  WATTERSTON   AS   NOVELIST.  II5 

science,  I  have  endeavored  to  point  out  the  books  proper  to 
be  read  and  the  conrse  necessary  to  be  pursued  with  a  view  to 
render  it  more  accessible  and  more  easily  attained."  This 
instruction  he  put  in  the  form — popular  since  the  time  of 
Chesterfield — of  letters  addressed  to  his  son  on  the  proper 
divisions  of  time,  the  study  of  languages,  rhetoric,  oratory, 
poetry,  logic,  mathematics,  drawing,  painting,  architecture, 
music,  history,  chemistry,  mineralogy,  botany,  zoology,  moral 
and  political  philosophy,  public  law,  and  political  economy. 
The  book  was  reviewed  favorably  in  the  National  Journal 
January  10,  1824. 

In  the  year  before  the  publication  of  his  Course  of  study, 
Watterston  had  published,  anonymously,  a  book  which 
showed  his  continued  attachment  to  fiction  as  a  popular  form 
of  instruction,  and  at  the  same  time  indicated  an  increasing 
interest  in  the  life  and  welfare  of  the  city  of  Washington. 
This  book  was  entitled  "The  L Famil}^  in  Washing- 
ton; or  a  winter  in  the  metropolis." '  It  was  a  humor- 
ous description  of  the  follies  of  Washington  life,  with  some 
reflections  upon  literature.  In  the  preface  he  professed  his 
admiration  for  the  pen  of  Mrs.  Radcliffe,  and  said  that  she 
was  the  only  person  to  do  justice  to  the  beauties  of  Washing- 
ton; he  himself  seemed  called  upon  to  picture  forth  the  vul- 
garities of  life  at  the  capital.  The  result  was  that  the  book 
excited  much  interest  but  called  forth  many  censures.  The 
reviews  in  the  Columbian  Star^  May  11,  1822,  and  in  the 
Washington  Gazette^  May  2,  1822,  may  be  noted  in  particular. 
Only  one  opinion  favorable  to  the  book  was  uttered  publicly, 
that  was  by  a  correspondent  of  the  Gazette^  May  11,  1822, 
who  thought  the  book  the  best  that  had  appeared  for  some 
time. 

The   reception  with  which  the  "L Family"  met  did 

not,  however,  deter  Watterston  from  writing  another  and 
similar  work  in  1827,  entitled  "The  Wanderer  in  Wash- 
ington."' This,  like  the  "L Family,"  was  an  anony- 
mous publication  and  written  after  the  style  of  Fielding  or 

'Washington,  Davis  and  Force,  1822.     159  pp.,  12°. 

*  Printed  at  the  Washington  Press.     By  Jonathan  Elliot,  jr.,  Pennsylvania  avenue, 
and  sold  by  P.  Thompson,  1S27.     226  pp.     12°, 


Il6  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

Smollett.  In  it  the  author  says  (p.  44),  "I  am  here  as  an 
obsen^er,  cool,  dispassionate,  philosophical.  I  mingle  in 
society  not  because  I  love  it,  but  because  I  wish  to  study  the 
character  of  my  countrymen  while  revolving  in  the  highest 
spheres  of  life  and  while  surrounded  by  the  trappings  of 
office  and  the  splendor  of  power."  This  book,  like  "Glen- 
cam,"  was  widely  read  and  widely  quoted/  and  even  went 
into  a  second  edition.^ 

As  writer  of  text-books  and  novels  Watterston  had  shown 
a  pedagogical  bent.  His  scientific  temper  of  mind  was  dis- 
pla3^ed  in  his  connection  with  the  Washington  Botanical 
Society  and  in  his  communications  to  the  local  press  upon 
horticultural  subjects,  and  in  1828  led  him  to  the  compila- 
tion and  publication  of  a  notable  contribution  to  statistics, 
the  Tabular  statistical  views  of  the  population,  commerce, 
navigation,  public  lands,  etc.,  of  the  United  States.^  This 
was  a  continuation  of  the  statistical  annals  of  Mr.  Seybert 
and  received  the  patronage  of  Congress  by  an  act  author- 
izing a  subscription  for  it,  approved  April  3,  1828. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  a7id  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  Secretary  of  the 
Department  of  State  be,  and  he  is  hereby,  authorized  and  directed  to 
subscribe  for,  and  receive,  for  the  use  and  disposal  of  CongrCvSS,  six  hun- 
dred copies  of  the  Statistical  tables  proposed  to  be  published  by  George 
Watterston  and  Nicholas  B.  Van  Zandt,  of  the  city  of  Washington. 

Sec  2.  A7id  be  it  further  eyiacted,  That  the  sum  of  fifteen  hundred 
dollars  shall  be,  and  hereby  is,  appropriated,  to  defray  the  cost  of  the 
said  subscription;  to  be  paid  out  of  any  money  in  the  Treasury,  not 
otherwise  appropriated. 

The  work  was  reviewed  appreciatively  in  the  Washington 
Chronicle^  September  13,  and  December  6,  1828;  the  Tele- 
graphy December  19,  1828;  the  National  Journal^  December 
27,  1828;  and  in  the  Boston  Courier  (copied  in  the  National 
Intelligencer^  March  6,  1829),  ^^^  ^'^  ^^33  was  supplemented 
by  the  Continuation  of  the  Tabular  statistical  views  of  the 

'  Washington  City  Gazette^  February  21,  1829. 

"^  In  this,  one  piece  of  realism  which  had  offended  readers  in  the  first  edition  was 
altered. 

3  Washington,  J.  Elliot  1829.  132  pp.  4°.  With  Nicholas  Biddle  Van  Zandt, 
who  had  been  for  a  number  of  years  proprietor  of  a  claims  office  in  Washington. 
See  advertisement  in  National  Intelligencer,  May  10,  1S22. 


LIBRARIAN  WATTERSTON'S   LITERARY   AMBITION.       I17 

United  States,  published  under  the  patronage  of  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States.' 

This  literary  activity  gained  for  Watterston  the  notice  of 
contemporaries,  though  it  did  not  earn  for  him  a  place  in 
American  literature.  That  notorious  scold  and  journalist, 
Mrs.  Anne  Royall,  writing  in  1824,^  says:  "It  appears  that 
Washington  has  produced  one  man  of  letters,  George  Wat- 
terston, Esquire."  Here  she  gives  an  extended  critique  of  the 
Letters  from  Washington  and  the  L Family,  and  con- 
cludes, "He  writes  with  ease,  and  as  one  familiar  with  belles- 
lettres,  and  may  be  regarded  inferior  to  few  in  the  United 
States."  More  judicial  was  the  notice  of  the  well-known 
Boston  journalist,  S.  L.  Knapp,  who  in  his  chapter  on  men 
of  letters  in  Washington,  remarks  that  the  best  accounts  of 
the  cit}^  of  Washington  were  from  the  pen  of  Watterston,  and 
goes  on  to  say,  "  Mr.  Watterston  has  written  several  popular 
and  useful  books,  Letters  from  Washington,  Course  of  study, 

L Famil}'-,  Tabular  statistics  of  the  United  States,  etc. 

The  public  are  much  indebted  to  him  for  much  useful  infor- 
mation, conveyed  in  a  good  style.  Some  of  the  sketches  of 
the  great  men  in  and  about  Washington,  which  are  to  be 
found  in  his  works,  are  splendid  and  original,  and  give  a  very 
fair  view  of  their  character."^ 

But  both  of  these  writers  were  obliged  to  come  to  Washing- 
ton to  find  Watterston  out.  He  was  the  only  man  of  letters 
at  the  national  capital,  but  his  fame  was  only  local.  In  181 7 
he  had  ambitions  to  be  heard  by  a  larger  audience,  and  seems 
to  have  written  to  J.  K.  Paulding  with  that  in  view,  for  the 
latter  writes  to  Watterston,  Washington,  January  25,  181 7:'' 

I  have  no  concern  at  present  in  the  editorial  part  of  the  Analedic 
Magazine,  or  in  any  other  way,  but  you  will  find,  I  think,  on  the  cover 
of  the  last  number,  (for  December),  the  price  per  page  offered  for  each 
article  that  may  be  accepted,  which  is,  I  think, — for  I  have  not  the  book 
at  present, — three  dollars.  The  manner  of  transmitting  the  articles,  the 
mode  in  which  the  writer's  name  is  either  disclosed,  if  his  commuuica- 

'  Washington,  Way  and  Gideon.  1833.     210  pp.     S°. 

'Sketches  of  history,  life  and  manners  in  the  United  States,  1826,  p.  150. 
3Sketches   of  public  characters   (etc.),  by   Ignatius  Loyola  Robertson   (pseud.), 
New  York,  1830,  p.  124. 
■•  Watterston  MSS. 


Il8  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

tion  be  accepted,  or  kept  secret,  if  refused,  as  also  that  of  receiving  the 
money,  is  particularly  printed  out,  if  I  recollect  rightly. 

As  a  reader  of  the  Magazine  I  shall  be  glad  to  see  your  productions 
frequently  appear  in  that  work,  but  I  have  no  concern  in  it,  that  will 
enable  me  to  forward  your  views. 

This  seems  to  have  ended  the  matter. 

This  literary  activity,  the  natural  outcome  of  his  previous 
experience  as  an  author,  of  his  existing  position  as  Librarian, 
and  of  his  interest  in  the  life  of  the  national  capital,  did  not, 
however,  exhaust  his  energies.  He  was  a  leading  promoter 
of  the  society  for  the  encouragement  of  botanical  study,  to 
which  we  have  already  referred.  The  circumstances  of  the 
establishment  of  this  society,  as  narrated  by  Mr.  Watter- 
ston,  were  these:  In  18 16  there  came  to  Washington  a 
Scotchman  named  Whitlaw,  who  gave  notice  that  he  would 
lecture  on  botany.  These  lectures  aroused  so  much  interest, 
and  it  was  so  desirable  that  the  knowledge  of  the  science 
which  had  thus  been  acquired  might  be  retained  and  applied 
to  some  useful  purpose,  so  Mr.  Watterston  thought,  that  he 
suggested  the  formation  of  a  society  for  the  purpose  of 
exploring  the  flora  of  the  District.  The  Washington  Botan- 
ical Society  was  accordingly  established  in  the  spring  of  18 17, 
with  Mr.  Watterston  as  secretary.' 

Watterston  was  also  a  supporter  of  the  Columbian  Insti- 
tute,^ and  a  member  of  the  general  committee  of  that 
institute.^ 

Mr.  Watterston  took  an  interest  in  the  political  life  of  the 
city  likewise.  He  was  a  member  of  the  commission  appointed 
under  the  act  of  Congress,  approved  May  7,  1822,  authorizing 
the  city  to  drain  the  low  grounds  on  and  near  the  public 

'  Watterston  MSS.  The  journal  of  this  society  is  now  in  the  possession  of 
Prof.  Lester  F.  Ward.  There  are  notices  of  the  society  and  Watterson's  relations 
to  it  in  the  Washiftgioft  City  Weekly  Gazette,  April  5  and  19,  July  12,  and  August 
9,  1817.  In  the  National  Magazine,  December  3,  1801,  a  national  museum  and 
garden  was  suggested.  In  the  second  number  of  the  IVaslmigton  Expositor,  Janu- 
ary 9,  1808,  there  were  proposals  for  establishing  an  experimental,  agricultural,  and 
botanical  society  in  Washington. 

'See  Washington  City  Weekly  Gazette,  January  18,  1817,  p.  485. 

3  City  of  Washington  Gazette,  October  7,  1818.  There  is  an  excellent  notice  of  the 
early  history  of  this  institute  in  the  National  Journal,  November  24,  1827,  and  in 
an  address  delivered  before  the  Columbian  Institute,  January  11,  1817,  by  Edwaid 
Cutbush. 


LIBRARIAN  WATTERSTON   AS   CITIZEN.  II9 

reservations,  and  to  improve  and  ornament  certain  parts  of 
tliem;  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  public  schools  of  the  second 
district  in  1820  and  in  1823;  president  of  the  board  of  common 
council  in  1821;  and  vice-president  of  the  board  of  aldermen 
in  1829/ 

In  the  social  life  of  the  capital,  too,  he  took  a  part.  At  a 
dinner  given  to  Thomas  Law  upon  his  departure  for  England, 
Watterston  responded  to  the  toast,  "Our  respected  guest; 
may  he  always  escape  the  calumnies  of  English  travelers  and 
English  reviewers,"  J  and  at  the  dinner  to  Lafayette,  October 
12,  1824,  ^^  responded  to  the  toast,  "The  gratitude  of  a  free 
nation  will  always  be  extended  to  him  who  deserves  well."^ 

These  were  extraordinary  occasions;  for  the  rest  the  queries 
of  the  irate  Anne  Roy  all"*  may  suffice:  "Why  does  he  go  to 
the  black-coat  church?  Why  does  he  entertain  shoals  of 
these  missionaries?  Pass  his  house  when  you  will,  you 
find  it  enveloped  in  a  flock  of  black  coats  like  ravens  round 
carrion.  Why  is  this?"^  And  the  reminiscences  of  Mr. 
Watterston's  son,  who  tells  of  the  large  number  of  slaves 
that  his  mother  brought  from  her  Maryland  home  upon  her 
marriage  and  of  the  bother  and  annoyance  that  they  were  to 
his  father,  who  discharged  them  one  after  the  other,  giving 
quarters  to  some  to  live  by  themselves  and  wholly  emancipat- 
ing others.  Though  they  did  not  publish  them,  both  he  and 
his  friend,  Henry  Clay,  held  abolitionist  views,  even  before 
the  Abolitionists. 

'  In  1820  he  refused  to  be  a  candidate  for  the  city  council,  or  serve  if  elected. 
Citj/  of  Washington  Gazette^  June  7,  1820. 

^Washington  City  Gazette,  July  21,  1824,  from  \h!&  National  Intelligencer. 

^  National  Journal,  October  14,  1824. 

<  "Some  of  my  friends,"  she  writes,  "suspect  Mr.  Watterston  for  writing  a  bitter 
critique  on  the  second  volume  of  the  'Black  book,'  published  in  the  Emerald  in 
Baltimore,  but  I  can  not  think  he  would  act  so  ungentlemanly,  not  to  say  ungrate- 
fully, toward  me.  *  *  *  But  should  the  writer  prove  to  be  Mr.  Watterston,  no 
further  evidence  is  necessary  to  prove  him  a  dangerous  man  to  our  Government,  and 
he  ought  to  be  dismissed  as  soon  as  possible."     Black  book  3:  211. 

5  Black  book  3:  210. 


130         DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,    1815-1829. 
THE    LIBRARY    ROOM,   1815-1829. 

On  tlie  igth  of  September,  1814,  Congress  met  in  extra 
session  in  what  was  known  as  Blodget's  Hotel,  or  the  Post- 
Office  building.  The  design  for  this  building  was  furnished 
by  Capt.  James  Hoban  and  adopted  by  the  city  commis- 
sioners in  1793.  It  had  been  erected  out  of  the  proceeds 
of  a  lottery.'  The  owners  of  the  prize  ticket  were  orphan 
children,  who  not  having  the  means  of  completing  the 
building  suffered  it  to  remain  for  several  years  in  an 
unfinished  and  dilapidated  state.  It  was  a  large  brick 
structure,  three  stories  high,  situated  on  the  corner  of 
Seventh  and  B  streets  northwest,  facing  south,  that  is, 
about  halfway  between  the  White  House  and  the  Capitol. 
Having  on  the  first  floor  a  spacious  center  and  two  exten- 
sive wings,  it  was  seized  upon  by  the  Wignell  &  Reinagle 
Company  of  Philadelphia  and  converted  into  a  theater  in 
the  year  1800.^  After  this  the  basement  story  of  the  build- 
ing was  occupied  by  Scotch  and  Irish  emigrants,  who,  having 
to  pay  no  rent,  kept  possession  of  it, — a  ruin,  with  the  greater 
part  of  its  roof  fallen  in,  Weld  observed  in  1803 — until  in 
1 8 10  it  was  purchased  by  the  Government  and  finished  in  a 
plain  style  for  the  use  of  the  Post-Office  and  Patent  Office.^ 

Now  the  building  was  called  upon  to  accommodate  both 
Houses  of  Congress,  the  Congressional  committees,  and  what 
was  left  of  the  Congressional  Library,  as  well  as  the  General 
and  City  Post-Offices  and  the  Patent  Office.'^ 

A  library  room  does  not  seem  to  have  been  fitted  up  in  this 
temporary  Capitol  until  the  following  year.  Then,  March  3, 
181 5,  an  act  was  passed  providing  both  for  the  transportation 
of  the  newly  acquired  Jefferson  library  and  for  the  furnish- 
ing  of   a   room   for    its  reception.     March  21    Mr.  George 

'Washington  Federalist,  January  28,  1803. 

'William  B.  Wood,  Personal  recollections  of  the  stage,  Philadelphia,  1855,  p.  55. 

3  Watterston 's  New  guide  to  Washington  ( i S42 ) ,  pp.  63 , 1 46.  Notice  in  the  National 
Intelligencer  December  12,  1853.  Letter  from  the  Postmaster-General  inclosing  a 
report  stating  the  expense  of  finishing  the  public  building  called  "Blodget's  Hall," 
January  18,  1812.  Ordered  to  lie  on  the  table.  Washington,  A.  &  G.  Way,  Printers, 
1812.     21  pp.     4°. 

*Paul  Jennings,  "A  colored  man's  reminiscences  of  James  Madison,"  1865,  p.  14, 
Milligan  to  Jefferson,  September  24,  1814,  Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  61,  No.  80, 


ROOM   IN   BLODGET'S  HOTEL.  121 

Watterston  was  appointed  Librarian,  and  on  tlie  25tli  he 
wrote  to  President  Madison,  who  was  particularly  intrusted 
with  the  execution  of  the  law  of  March  3: 

I  have  had  the  happiness  to  receive  the  commission  of  lyibrarian  with 
which  you  were  so  good  as  to  honor  me.  I  accept  it  with  pleasure  and 
tender  you  my  thanks  for  the  favor  conferred.  UnwiUing  to  intrude 
upon  your  moments  of  leisure  and  relaxation,  I  nevertheless  deem  it  my 
duty  to  apprize  you  that,  according  to  an  act  of  last  session,  you  are 
' '  directed  to  cause  an  apartment  to  be  hmnediately  selected  and  prepared 
for  a  library  room,"  etc.  In  the  third  story  of  the  present  Capitol,'  a 
room  sufficiently  commodious  and  convenient  might,  at  a  small  expense, 
be  prepared,  and  this  could  immediately  be  done,  by  authorizing  the 
Commissioner  of  the  Public  Buildings,  or  the  superintendent  of  the  city, 
to  have  it  prepared  without  delay. "" 

For  fitting  up  and  furnishing  the  library  room  in  this 
building,  including  the  expense  of  finishing  the  staircase  and 
passage  in  the  third  story  in  which  the  room  was  located,  the 
sum  of  $1,520.77  was  expended.^ 

INCONVENIENCE   OF   THIS   LOCATION. 

Before  the  first  session  of  the  Fourteenth  Congress,  Decem- 
ber 4,  1 81 5,  the  citizens  of  Washington  had  erected  a  tem- 
porary structure  for  the  accommodation  of  Congress,  east  of 
Capitol  square,  now  known  as  the  Old  Capitol.  This  build- 
ing was  occupied  by  the  two  Houses  of  Congress  from  that 
time  until  181 9.  So  the  question  of  a  library  room  again 
presented  itself:  Should  the  Library  remain  where  it  was  in 
the  Post-Ofiice  building?  Or  should  it  be  removed  to  quarters 
in  the  temporary  Capitol;  in  the  Capitol  proper,  then  being 
rebuilt;  or  in  some  neighboring  house?  The  question  had 
been  raised  during  the  building  of  the  temporary  Capitol  in 
the  summer.  On  the  12th  of  September,  Watterston  wrote 
to  the  President  regarding  it.  This  letter  has  not  been  dis- 
covered, but  it  seems  to  have  suggested  that  because  there 
had  been  no  law  passed  providing  for  another  removal  of 
the  Library,  it  must  remain  for  the  present  where  it  was. 
On  the  15th  Madison  replied:  "I  have  received  your  letter 

'  Blodget's  Hotel. 
*  Madison  Papers. 
3  Report  of  the  Library  Committee,  January  26,  1816. 


122  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,    1815-1829. 

of  the  lath,  and  have  referred  the  case  to  the  members  of 
the  Executive."'  On  the  same  day  he  wrote  to  Dallas:^ 
"I  took  the  liberty  of  requesting  through  Mr.  Rush,  the 
attention  of  yourself  and  other  members  of  the  Cabinet 
at  Washington,  to  the  difficulties  arising  in  the  business 
superintended  by  Colonel  Lane,  who  thought  with  me,  that 
a  decision  on  them  could  be  better  formed  on  the  spot, 
than  by  myself  at  this  distance.  I  have  just  received  the 
enclosed  letter  from  the  Librarian,  which  presents  a  new 
one.  Between  the  alternatives  of  a  temporary  building  or 
the  continuance  of  the  Library  where  it  is,  the  option  seems 
to  be  prescribed  by  a  want  of  legislative  provision  for  the 
former.  Will  you  be  so  good  as  to  obtain  from  Colonel 
Lane  a  full  view  of  the  case,  and  to  decide  on  it  as  may 
be  found  best  by  yourself  and  the  other  gentlemen?  Mr. 
Watterston  is  informed  of  this  reference  of  the  subject." 

Nothing  further  seems  to  have  been  done  toward  a  removal 
of  the  Library  from  its  distant  location  until  the  appointment 
of  the  new  Library  Committee,  December  4,  181 5.  This 
committee  consisted  of  Senators  Eligius  Fromentin,  of  Lou- 
isiana, William  Hunter,  of  Rhode  Island,  and  Robert  H. 
Goldsborough,  of  Maryland,  and  of  Representatives  John 
W.  Taylor,  of  New  York,  Joseph  Hopkinson,  of  Pennsjd- 
vania,  and  Henry  St.  George  Tucker,  of  Virginia.  The 
record  of  their  action  regarding  the  Library  room  ma}''  be 
found  in  their  report  made  in  the  Senate,  January  26,  181 6. 
It  is  as  follows: 

The  first  care  of  the  Joint  Library  Committee,  immediately  after  their 
appointment,  was  to  inquire  into  the  possibihty  of  removing  the  Library 
from  where  it  now  is,  to  a  place  more  convenient  to  the  members  of 
Congress,  but  they  were  not  able  to  accomplish  this  most  desirable 
object.  The  Capitol  does  not  afford  any  room  which  could,  in  its  pres- 
ent state,  be  deemed  a  safe  place  of  deposit  for  the  Librar3^  The  room 
which  has  been  .selected  for  placing  the  Library  in  in  the  building  now 
occupied  by  Congress,  ^  did  not  appear  to  your  committee  to  offer  the 
advantages,  or  to  promise  that  security  which,  by  your  committee,  was 
deemed  indispensably  requisite,  before  they  could  submit  to  you  a  reso- 

•  Watterston  MSS. 

"Letters  and  other  writings  of  James  Madison,  Philadelphia,  1865,  3:  20. 

3  The  Old  Capitol. 


A  LIBRARY   BUILDING   SUGGESTED.  1 23 

lutiou  recommending  the  removal  of  the  Library  to  that  room.  The 
efforts  of  your  committee  to  procure  rooms  or  a  house  which  might  have 
been  used  temporarily  for  the  Library,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  house 
where  Congress  now  assemble,  proved  likewise  unavailing.  A  sum  not 
less  than  one  thousand  dollars  per  annum  was  asked  for  the  rent  of  the 
only  house  which  might  have  answered  the  object;  and  taking  into  con- 
sideration, not  only  the  expense  of  the  rent,  but  the  expense  of  fitting 
out,  for  temporary  purposes  only,  the  necessary  rooms  for  the  Library; 
the  expenses  attending  this  temporary  removal;  the  portion  of  the  ses- 
sion already  elapsed;  the  length  of  time  which  would  be  consumed  in 
the  removal,  during  which,  instead  of  a  rather  difl&cult,  under  present 
circumstances,  no  access  at  all  could  be  had  to  the  Library;  considering 
further,  that  nothing  is  more  injurious  to  books  than  these  frequent 
removals;  and  considering  likewise,  that  the  Library  is  perfectly  safe 
where  it  is  now,  and  that  within  a  few  weeks,  at  a  period  probably  not 
much  more  distant  than  the  period  at  which  the  Library  could  again  be 
opened,  if  it  should  now  be  attempted  to  be  removed  on  Capitol  Hill, 
the  greatest  inconveniences  now  arising  from  the  distance  at  which  the 
Library  is  placed,  will  disappear  with  the  season  of  the  year  which  has 
created  them,  your  committee  are  of  opinion  that  the  Library  ought  not 
to  be  moved  this  winter,  and  that  their  attention  should  be  wholly 
directed  in  securing  a  permanent  place  in  the  Capitol  for  receiving  the 
Library;  which  place  ought  to  be  ready  before  the  next  session  of  Con- 
gress, and  with  that  view  they  have  inserted  a  section  which,  to  them, 
appears  calculated  to  obtain  the  object,  in  the  bill  which  accompanies 
this  report. 

This  bill  was,  on  tlie  2d  of  February,  taken  up  for  consid- 
eration in  the  Committee  of  the  Whole,  where,  on  motion  of 
Senator  Roberts,  of  Pennsylvania,  that  section  of  the  bill  pro- 
viding for  a  Library  room  in  the  Capitol,  together  with  other 
sections,  was  stricken  out. 

A   LIBRARY   BUILDING   SUGGESTED. 

The  bill  reported  January  26,  18 16,  provided  for  a  Library 
room.  The  next  suggestion  was  for  a  Library  building. 
During  the  second  session  of  the  Fourteenth  Congress,  Feb- 
ruary 18,  181 7,  Mr.  Fromentin,  from  the  Joint  Library  Com- 
mittee, reported  the  following  resolutions  in  the  Senate:  ^ 

Resolved,  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States 
of  America,  in  Congress  assembled,  That  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Com- 

'  Annals  30:  144. 


124  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,    1815-1829. 

missioner  of  Public  Buildings  to  cause  to  be  erected  and  fitted  up  for 
the  reception  of  the  Library  of  Congress  a  suitable  building,  upon  a 
plan  to  be  approved  by  the  President  of  the  Senate  and  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives,  to  be  situated  on  Delaware  Avenue,  north 
of  the  Capitol. 

Resolved,  That  when  the  said  building  shall  be  ready  for  the  reception 
of  the  said  Library,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Librarian  to  remove 
the  same  and  arrange  the  books  therein. 

On  the  2  2d  the  consideration  of  the  resolutions  was  taken 
up  as  in  Committee  of  the  Whole,  and,  no  amendment  hav- 
ing been  made  thereto,  it  was  reported,  and  on  the  question, 
"And  shall  this  resolution  be  engrossed  and  read  a  third 
time?"  it  was  determined  in  the  negative. 

The  failure  of  these  resolutions  was  the  occasion  of  the 
following  communication  from  the  Librarian  to  the  National 
hitelligencer^  March  25,  181 7.  It  appears  under  the  caption 
"National  Library,"  and  is  subscribed  "W." 

It  is  extremely  to  be  regretted  that  the  proposition  to  erect  a  building 
for  the  reception  of  the  Librar>'  of  the  United  States,  presented  last 
session,  had  not  succeeded.  A  literary  establishment  of  so  much  impor- 
tance and  benefit,  ought  to  be  accommodated  in  a  style  proportionate  to 
its  dignity  and  utility, — in  all  other  countries,  this  is  an  object  of  national 
pride,  and  edifices  are  erected  for  the  accommodation  of  national 
libraries,  not  only  admirable  for  their  convenience,  but  distinguished  for 
the  taste,  beauty,  and  excellence  of  their  architecture.  In  the  United 
States,  where  reading  is  so  general,  one  would  suppose  that  the  lamen- 
table rage  for  economy,  which  now  seems  to  have  gained  such  an  ascend- 
ency, would  not  at  least  extend  to  their  depositories  of  literature,  and 
that  a  building  would  be  erected  for  their  librar>^  equal  in  grandeur  to 
the  wealth,  the  taste,  and  the  science  of  the  nation.  It  is  to  be  appre- 
hended, that  if  a  building  be  not  erected  for  that  purpose,  the  Library 
will  remain  stationary  for  many  years,  isolated  and  inconvenient  from 
its  position;  for  there  appears  to  be  no  apartment  in  either  wing  of  the 
Capitol,  though  they  cover  an  acre  of  ground,  calculated  for  its  recep- 
tion, and  to  wait  until  the  main  body  be  completed,  would,  to  judge 
from  the  present  economical  mania,  be  rendering  the  Library  almost 
useless  for  a  long  time. 

I  have  made  these  remarks  merely  preparatory  to  the  introduction  of 
the  following  succinct  description  of  an  elegant  and  .splendid  design  for  a 
national  library'  at  Paris  executed  by  C.  Gisors,  junior:  An  immense 
galler>%  of  266  feet  long  by  47  breadth,  and  six  vast  halls,  which  are 
contiguous,   constitute   principally  the   interior   of   the  library.     Four 


ROOM    IN   NORTH    WING    OF   CAPITOL.  1 25 

Stories  of  cabinets,  disposed  in  the  form  of  an  amphitheatre,  adorn  the 
halls  in  a  display  of  4,000  feet  by  an  elevation  of  from  seven  to  twelve 
feet.  Four  great  depots  and  two  halls,  destined  for  manuscripts  and 
engravings,  have  their  entrance  by  the  large  gallerj-  which  has  been 
mentioned.  This  gallery  is  terminated  by  a  temple  of  Apollo  surrounded 
by  the  Muses.  Behind  the  temple  is  an  exterior  portico,  above  which 
is  advantageously  disposed  a  circular  hall  designed  for  medals  and  vari- 
ous antiques;  a  garden  situated  behind  the  body  of  the  principal  build- 
ing contains  pavilions  for  the  use  of  the  librarians  and  others  attached 
to  the  library.  These  pavilions  have  each  a  particular  entrance  from 
the  street.  On  the  right  and  left  of  the  buildings  are  walks  planted 
with  trees  and  ornamented  with  statues  of  great  men.  The  elevation 
presents  a  peristjde  of  eight  Corinthian  columns,  bearing  a  front  deco- 
rated with  basso  reHevos  w^hich  represent  Parnassus.  Other  basso 
reUevos  and  statues  placed  in  niches  enrich  the  walls  of  the  edifice. 

Such  a  building  as  this  would  indeed  be  a  national  ornament  and  con- 
tribute essentially  to  the  beauty  of  the  capital  of  the  United  States.' 

Such  was  the  first  dream  of  a  building  for  the  Library  of 
Congress. 

REMOVAL  OF  LIBRARY  TO  NORTH  WING  OF  CAPITOL,  1818-1824. 

At  the  opening  of  the  first  session  of  the  Fifteenth  Con- 
gress a  new  Librarj^  Committee  was  appointed.  This 
consisted  of  Senators  Dickerson,  King,  and  Tait,  and  of 
Representatives  Seybert,  Whitman,  and  Middleton.  The 
appointment  of  this  committee  was  hailed  by  the  Washing- 
tori  Gazette  December  8,  181 7,  as  a  good  omen.  It  said: 
"We  are  disposed  to  indulge  a  hope  that  this  committee  will 
be  more  active  than  the  former,  and  that  as  literarj^  men 
they  will  not  neglect  the  interests  of  this  establishment.  To 
coop  the  Library  of  the  United  States  in  a  garret  almost  a 
mile  from  the  Capitol  is  degrading  both  to  literature  and  the 
nation,  and  we  trust  that  Congress  will  see  the  necessity  of 
erecting  a  building  for  its  accommodation  nearer  the  Cap- 
itol." This  article,  it  was  said,  was  copied  by  several  papers 
in  different  States. 

'This  proposition  in  favor  of  a  Library  building  was  indorsed  by  an  editorial  in 
the  Washington  City  Gazette,  April  5,  1817. 


126  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,    1815-1829. 

On  the  31st  of  December,  Mr.  Burrill  submitted  tbe  fol- 
lowing resolution  for  consideration  in  the  Senate: 

Resolved,  That  the  Committee  on  the  District  of  Columbia  be 
instructed  to  inquire  whether  suitable  apartments  can  be  had  in  the 
Capitol  for  the  reception  and  accommodation  of  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress, and  in  case  such  apartments  cannot  be  had  there  to  inquire  into  the 
expediency  of  commencing  the  erection  of  the  center  building  of  the 
Capitol  and  of  making  provision  for  the  speedy  completion  thereof.  That 
said  committee  be  also  instructed  to  inquire  whether  suitable  apartments 
can  be  had  in  the  Capitol  for  the  reception  and  accommodation  of  the 
Library-  of  Congress,  and  in  case  such  apartments  can  not  be  had  there 
to  inquire  into  the  expediency  of  purchasing  or  erecting  a  convenient 
building  for  the  Library.' 

On  the  2d  of  January,  18 18,  the  resolution  was  adopted. 
This  resolution  seems  to  have  been  the  occasion  for  a  commu- 
nication from  the  Librarian  to  the  Washi7igton  Gazette^  Janu- 
ary 8,  1818,  over  the  signature  "Philomath."  This  was 
merely  a  repetition  of  his  letter  to  the  National  Intelligencer^ 
March  25,  181 7. 

Nothing  was  accomplished,  however,  until  the  second  ses- 
sion of  the  Fifteenth  Congress.  On  the  24th  of  November, 
18 1 8,  Mr.  Dickerson  introduced  a  bill  in  the  Senate  to 
provide  for  the  removal  of  the  Library  of  Congress  to  the 
north  wing  of  the  Capitol.  On  the  25th  it  was  considered  as 
in  Committee  of  the  Whole,  and  no  amendment  having  been 
made,  it  was  reported,  and  on  the  26th  passed.  On  the  same 
day  the  bill  was  concurred  in  by  the  House  of  Represent- 
atives.'' 

AN  ACT  to  provide  for  the  removal  of  the  Library  of  Congress  to  the  north  wing  of 

the  Capitol. 

Be  it  enacted,  by  the  Senate  afid  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  Ainerica,  in  Co?igress  assembled,  That  the  Joint  Library  Com- 
mittee of  Congress  be,  and  they  are  hereby,  authorized  to  cause  suitable 
apartments  in  the  north  wing  of  the  Capitol  to  be  fitted  up  and  furnished 
for  the  temporary  reception  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  and  to  cause 
the  said  Library  to  be  removed  to  and  placed  in  the  same. 

Sec  2.  And  be  it  further  eyiacted.  That  the  accounting  oflBcers  of 
the  Treasury  be,  and  they  are  hereby,  authorized  and  directed  to  settle 

'Senate  Journal,  Fifteenth  Congress,  first  session,  p.  58. 
'Annals  33:  21,  22,  23,  26,  320,  321. 


ROOM   IN   NORTH   WING   OF   CAPITOL.  1 27 

the  accounts  of  the  expenditures  which  may  be  incurred  under  this  act; 
and  that  the  amount,  so  settled,  be  paid  out  of  any  moneys  in  the 
Treasury'  not  otherwise  appropriated. 

Sec.  3.  Afid  be  if  further  eiiacted,  That  the  sum  of  two  thousand 
dollars  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby,  appropriated  to  the  further  purchase 
of  books  for  the  said  lyibrary. 

Approved,  December  3,  i8i8. 

Before  the  close  of  the  year  the  Library  was,  in  accordance 
with  this  act,  removed  to  the  north  wing  of  the  Capitol,  to 
rooms  on  the  west  side,  on  the  same  elevation  as  the  upper 
gallery  of  the  Senate  Chamber/ 

From  a  Senate  report  on  the  Capitol,  made  December 
20,  18 19,  it  appears  that  the  apartments  to  which  the 
Library  had  been  consigned  in  the  attic  story  of  the  north 
wing  of  the  Capitol  were  hardly  sufficient  for  the  accom- 
modation of  the  Library.  The  report'  of  the  Library  Com- 
mittee, December  19,  1820,  detailing  the  operation  of  the  act 
of  December  3,  1818,  also  represents  the  cramped  conditions 
of  the  new  quarters  to  which  the  Library  had  been  consigned. 
It  is  as  follows : 

By  an  act  of  Congress  of  the  3d  of  December,  1818,  the  Joint  I^ibrary 
Committee  were  ' '  authorized  to  cause  suitable  apartments  in  the  north 
wing  of  the  Capitol  to  be  fitted  up  and  furnished  for  the  temporary 
reception  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  and  to  cause  the  said  I,ibrary  to 
be  removed  to  and  placed  in  the  same. ' '  Under  the  provisions  of  this 
act  suitable  apartments  were  prepared  and  the  Library  of  Congress 
deposited  in  the  north  wing  of  the  Capitol.  *  *  *  When  the 
committee  had  thus  caused  the  Library  of  Congress  to  be  placed  in 
the  Capitol  they  presumed  that  all  the  duties  required  of  them  by  the 
act  were  performed;  and  they  have  not  thought  themselves  authorized 
to  provide  for  the  reception  of  such  books  as  have  been  since  purchased, 
or  may  be  hereafter  purchased,  for  the  Library.  They  had  intended  to 
lay  out  the  greater  part  of  the  funds  on  hand  in  the  purchase  of  books 
during  the  late  recess  of  Congress,  but  being  informed  by  the  Librarian 
that  no  preparations  were  making,  or  expected  to  be  made,  before  the 
meeting  of  Congress,  for  putting  up  additional  shelves  in  the  Library 
room,  and  that  a  large  portion  of  the  books  purchased  during  the  last 

'  Watterston's  New  guide  to  Washington,  1842,  p.  64. 

'Sixteenth  Congress,  second  session,  vSenate  report  No.  25.  vSee  also  Frances 
Wright  D'Arusmont.  Views  of  society  and  manners  in  America.  New  York,  1821, 
P-  378. 


128  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,    1815-1829. 

year  were  still  lying  upon  the  tables,  it  was  not  thought  expedient  to 
make  an}-  considerable  purchase  of  books  before  the  meeting  of  Con- 
gress. 

The  Librarian  gives  us   anotHer  and  last  glimpse  of  this 

old  Library  room  in  his  story  entitled  "The  L Family 

at  Washington.'"  In  this  one  of  his  characters  says:  "After 
groping  about  some  time  in  endeavoring  to  find  the  Repre- 
sentatives Hall,  I  came  to  a  door,  which  I  opened  very 
unceremoniously,  and  found  myself  all  at  once  in  a  region  of 
learning,  where,  like  the  Alps,  books  on  books  arose.  The 
room  was  filled  with  honourable  members  and  their  ladies, 
more  intent,  I  thought,  in  gazing  at  pictures  than  on  feast- 
ing their  reason.  I  confess  I  felt  a  little  odd  in  being  so 
suddenly  soused  among  such  honourable  company,  but 
knowing  that  I  contributed  as  much  to  the  public  library 
as  anyone  else,  I  thought  it  was  best  to  stalk  about  as  if 
it  was  my  own.  *  *  *  Presently  I  walked  into  an  adjoin- 
ing apartment,  for  the  Library  consists  of  a  suite  of  rooms, 
where  I  met  a  man  that  I  thought  looked  devilish  sour  at 
me — this  was  the  Librarian." 

THE  LIBRARY  ROOM  IN  THE  CENTER  BUILDING. 

The  Latrobe  plan  of  181 7  provided  for  the  Library  a  main 
reading  room  and  three  smaller  reading  rooms  and  an  office 
on  the  north.^  On  the  8th  of  January,  1818,  Charles  Bulfinch 
superseded  Latrobe  as  Architect  of  the  Capitol. 

The  report  of  the  Committee  on  Public  Buildings,  April  4, 
18 18,  showed  that  plans  had  been  made  by  the  new  architect 
for  a  library  and  two  reading  rooms  in  the  proposed  center 
building.  On  the  27th  of  November,  1820,  the  Commissioner 
of  Public  Buildings  presented  to  Congress  the  following 
report  from  the  Architect  of  the  Capitol  (November  19,  1820), 
regarding  the  progress  of  the  work: 

The  external  walls  of  the  west  projection,  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
internal  walls  connected  with  them,  have  been  raised  to  the  height  con- 
templated in  the  estimate  for  the  year;  the  roof  is  raised  on  the  north 

'  Washington,  1822,  pp.  35-37. 

'The  Latrobe  plan  is  reproduced  in  Glenn  Brown's  History  of  the  Capitol,  plate  70. 


NEW  ROOM  IN  CENTER  BUILDING  OF  CAPITOL.    1 29 

flank  of  the  center,  and  that  for  the  south  flank  is  prepared  but  has 
been  prevented  from  being  put  on  by  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  in 
October  and  by  an  unusual  sickness  among  the  workmen. 

On  January  4,  1822,  the  whole  of  the  stonework  of  the 
western  projection  was  reported  complete,  except  the  chim- 
neys and  some  carved  decorations  in  the  cornice  and  some 
panels;  the  roofs  all  raised  and  covered  w^ith  copper  except 
a  small  portion  over  the  Library;  the  window^  frames, 
shutters,  and  dressings  ready  for  use,  the  glass,  from  the 
best  Boston  manufactory,  on  hand,  and  the  carpenters 
engaged  in  making  sashes,  doors,  etc'  Finally,  on  the  9th 
of  December,  1822,  the  exterior  of  the  western  projection  w^as 
complete,  the  copper  covering  being  finished,  the  w'alls 
painted,  the  w^indow  frames  and  sashes  inserted,  and  the 
scaffolding  removed,  and  the  front  of  the  building  exhibited 
the  appearance  which  it  was  intended  to  retain,  excepting 
only  that  the  iron  railing  between  the  columns  of  the  loggia 
was  not  yet  in  place.-  On  the  17th  of  August,  1824,  the 
Librarian,  wnth  the  assistance  of  three  hired  men,  commenced 
moving  the  Library  from  its  old  quarters  in  the  north  wing 
of  the  Capitol  to  this  new  and  spacious  apartment  in  the 
center.^ 

On  the  ist  of  January,  1825,  ^^^  following  description 
of  the  completed  Library  room  appeared  in  the  NationaL 
In  telligencer: 

The  room  for  the  permanent  accommodation  of  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress has  been  completed  in  a  stjde  of  great  beauty  and  elegance,  which 
entitle  it  to  particular  commendation.  It  occupies  nearly  the  whole 
west  front  of  the  center  building,  is  90  feet  in  length,  30  in  width,  and 
about  35  in  height.  It  is  divided  into  12  arched  alcoves,  ornamented 
with  fluted  pilasters,  copied  from  the  pillars  in  the  celebrated  Octagon 

'Report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings,  January  17,  1822.  Seventeenth 
Congress,  first  session.  House  document  No.  26. 

*  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings,  December  10,  1822,  Seven- 
teenth Congress,  second  session,  Senate  document  No.  9.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that 
the  danger  of  invasion  from  the  Houses  of  Congress  was  not  yet  wholly  past,  for  on 
March  21,  1822,  Mr.  Hill  moved  that  the  House  do  come  to  the  following  resolu- 
tion: '■'Resolved,  That  the  Committee  on  Public  Buildings  be  instructed  to  inquire 
into  the  practicability  of  preparing,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, the  room  in  the  center  building  designed  for  the  Library."  The  resolu- 
tion was,  however,  ordered  to  lie  on  the  table.     Annals  39:   1337. 

3Watterston  MSS. 
23399—04 9 


130  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,    1815-1829. 

Tower  at  Athens,  At  the  entrance,  in  the  center  of  the  room,  which  is 
approached  from  the  great  central  rotunda,  are  two  columns  of  stone, 
with  capitals  corresponding  with  those  of  the  pilasters;  and  immediately 
opposite,  and  fronting  the  window  which  leads  into  the  western  colon- 
nade, stand  two  similar  columns  of  stone.  Those  pillars,  with  the 
alcoves,  support  two  galleries,  extending  nearly  the  whole  length  of 
the  room,  from  north  to  south,  on  both  sides,  and  divided  into  the  same 
number  of  shelved  recesses  as  the  lower  apartment.  From  these 
recesses  springs  the  arch  which  forms  the  ceiling,  elegantly  ornamented 
with  rich  stucco  borders,  panel,  and  wreaths  of  flowers.  On  the  roof, 
which  is  about  12  feet  above  the  ceiling,  are  three  skylights,  the  wells 
of  which  are  also  beautifully  decorated  with  stucco  ornaments;  through 
these  and  the  five  windows  on  the  west  the  light  is  admitted  into  the 
room,  and  can  be  lessened  or  increased  at  pleasure,  by  means  of  Vene- 
tian blinds.  The  principal  apartment,  as  well  as  the  reading  room  on 
the  north,  attached  to  it,  is  handsomely  furnished  with  sofas,  mahogany 
tables,  desks,  Brussels  carpeting,  etc.  At  each  corner  of  this  splendid 
apartment  is  a  vStaircase  leading  to  the  galleries  above,  which  are  cal- 
culated to  contain  .several  thousand  volumes,  and  which  are  so  arranged 
as  to  enable  anyone  to  read  or  write  in  them  with  perfect  convenience. 
This  room  opens  into  a  magnificent  colonnade,  or  loggia,  formed  b)'  ten 
pillars  of  the  Corinthian  order,  between  which  runs  an  iron  railing  to 
protect  as  well  as  to  ornament  this  fine  promenade.  The  lyibrary  room 
is  admitted  by  all  who  see  it  to  be,  as  a  whole,  the  most  beautiful  apart- 
ment in  the  building.  Its  decorations  are  remarkably  cha.ste  and  ele- 
gant, and  the  architecture  of  the  whole  displays  a  great  deal  of  taste.' 

In  the  furnishing  of  the  room  equal  care  was  taken.  By 
the  act  of  May  26,  1824,  the  sum  of  $1,546  was  appropriated 
for  this  purpose.  The  act  of  February  25,  1825,  added  to  this 
the  sum  of  $339.  Stephen  P.  Morris,  a  Philadelphia  stove 
manufacturer,  was  given  Bulfinch's  sectional  elevation  of  the 
interior  of  the  Library,  with  the  ground  plot  of  the  room,  in 
order  that  the  two  stoves,  to  be  built  in  the  form,  of  pillars, 
might  correspond  with  the  architecture  of  the  room.^  For 
these  stoves  and  9  tons  of  coal  $295.25  was  appropriated 
March  3,  1826.  A  carpet  costing  $1,000  was  laid  on  the  floor 
of  the  Library.  Spermaceti  candles  placed  on  the  two  mantel- 
pieces, the  desk,  and  the  tables  furnished  light  after  nightfall. 

'This  description  was  copied  by  the  Columbian  Star,  January  15.     See  also  the 
Washin^lon  City  Chronicle,  August  8,  1829. 

'Clement  C.  Biddle  to  \Vatterston,  Philadelphia,  June  25,   1825;  S.  P.  Morris  to 
Watterston,  Philadelphia,  November  17,  1825.     Watterston  MSS. 


NEW   ROOM   IN   CENTER   BUILDING   OF   CAPITOL.         131 

The  ambition  of  the  architect  was  satisfied  and  the  dream 
of  the  Librarian  realized.  Here  was  the  most  beautiful  room 
in  the  Capitol;  some  thought  the  most  beautiful  room  in  the 
countr3\' 

The  chief  artistic  attraction  of  the  room  at  this  time  was 
a  collection  of  bronze  medals  presented  to  Congress  "for  the 
use  of  the  National  Library"  by  George  W.  Brving  in  1822/ 
This  series  of  medals,  cast  by  order  of  the  French  Govern- 
ment according  to  the  design  of  M.  Denon,  commenced  in 
the  year  1796  and  terminated  in  18 15.  It  embraced  all  the 
memorable  battles  and  events  which  occurred  during  the 
reign  of  the  Emperor  Napoleon.  There  was  among  the  num- 
ber one  commemorating  his  return  from  the  island  of  Elba, 
which,  in  consequence  of  the  small  number  cast  and  the 
destruction  of  the  die,  was  especially  prized.  The  subjects 
of  the  medals  were  as  follows:  The  battles  of  Montenotte, 
Millesimo,  Austerlitz,  Jena,  Friedland,  Essling,  Wagram, 
Moscow,  Liitzen;  the  surrender  and  capture  of  Mantua;  con- 
quests of  Upper  and  Low^er  Egypt;  passage  of  the  great  St. 
Bernard;  death  of  Dessaix;  peace  of  Amiens;  La  Muse  Napo- 
leon; Legion  of  Honor;  the  School  of  Mines;  the  Code 
Napoleon;  the  coronation  at  Paris;  the  distribution  of  Eagles; 
the  tomb  of  Dessaix;  the  School  of  Medicine;  the  capture  of 
Vienna  and  Presburg;  three  Emperors;  the  conquest  of 
Venice,  Istria,  Dalmatia,  and  Naples;  confederation  of  the 
Rhine;  the  occupation  of  the  three  capitals;  peace  of  Tilsit; 
the  marriage  of  the  Emperor;  birth  of  the  King  of  Rome; 
the  French  Eagles  upon  the  Volga  and  Borysthenes;  founda- 
tion of  the  School  of  Fine  Arts;  return  of  the  Emperor;  the 
Empress  Maria  Louisa;  the  Princesses  Eliza  and  Paulina; 
the  Queen  of  Naples;  the  Queen  Hortensia,  etc.  After  seeing 
this  collection  Harriet  Martineau  said,  "I  was  never  tired  of 
the  cabinet  of  Napoleon  medals,  the  most  beautifully  com- 
posed piece  of  history  that  I  ever  studied." ^ 

'See  Life  and  letters  of  Charles  Bulfinch,  Boston,  1896,  p.  250;  Watterston's  Wan- 
derer in  Washington,  p.  218;  Natiojial  Journal,  April  11,  1827. 

*New  York  Statesvian,  December  17,  23,  1822;  copied  in  National  Intelligencer, 
January  6,  10,  1823. 

3 Retrospect  of  western  travel.  New  York,  183S,  i:  164. 


132  DEVELOPMENT    OF   THE   LIBRARY,    1815-1829. 

Mr.  Hrving  also  presented  a  series,  representing  several 
American  worthies,  in  Parisian  bronze.  The  box  which  con- 
tained them  was  labeled  "Post  ingentia  facta  Deoruni  in 
templa  recepti."  [Their  illustrious  deeds  have  won  them  a 
place  in  the  Pantheon.]  In  the  arrangement  of  these  last 
medals  George  Washington  occupied  the  center,  with  the 
inscription  "Supremo  duci  exercituum  assertori  libertates." 
[To  the  commander  in  chief  of  our  armies  and  vindicator  of 
our  liberties.]  Encircling  the  Father  of  his  Country  were  the 
heads  of  Columbus,  Franklin,  Kosciusko,  Paul  Jones,  William 
Washington,  and  J.  B.  Howard. 

THE  FIRE  OF  DECEMBER  22,  1825. 

The  lesson  which  the  conflagration  of  August  24,  1814, 
might  have  taught  had  not  been  learned,  or  if  it  had  been 
learned  it  had  not  been  remembered  in  the  construction  of 
the  new  Library  room  of  1824.  ^  ^^^  ^^  ^^^  night  of  Decem- 
ber 22,  1825,  ^°w  brought  this  to  the  attention  of  Congress. 
It  is  described  in  a  letter  supposed  to  have  been  written  by 
Edward  Everett,  dated  December  23,  and  printed  in  the  Bos- 
Ion  Daily  Advertiser.^ 

An  unpleasant  occurrence  took  place  here  last  night,  threatening  a 
very  disastrous  result,  but  which  happily  passed  off  without  any  serious 
consequences.  On  returning  from  Mr.  Senator  Johnston's  last  evening, 
with  my  wife,  at  11  o'clock,  we  perceived  when  at  the  foot  of  Capitol 
Hill  a  bright  light  from  some  of  the  windows  of  the  Capitol.  Having 
occasionally  perceived  a  light  in  some  of  the  offices  of  the  Capitol  at  a 
late  hour,  I  supposed  at  first  that  the  present  appearance  was  that  of  a 
lamp  or  of  a  fire  imperfectly  extinguished  in  some  of  the  fireplaces. 
On  more  attentive  examination  I  saw  that  the  light  came  from  the 
Library,  which  I  knew  was  regularly  shut  up  at  7  o'clock  p.  m.,  and 
that  it  was  strongest  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  where  there  is  no  fire- 
place. My  lodgings  are  directly  adjacent  to  the  Capitol,  and  having 
driven  my  wife  home,  I  determined  to  go  and  examine  into  the  cause  of 
the  light.  On  approaching  the  east  front  of  the  Capitol  I  was  chal- 
lenged by  the  sentry  (I  was  not  previously  aware  that  a  guard  was 
mounted  in  the  Capitol  square),  and  on  informing  him  of  the  cause  of 
anxiety  he  assured  me  nothing  was  more  common  than  to  see  a  light  in 
the  public  rooms  late  at  night.  After  some  hesitation  he  consented  to 
go  with  me  and  see  what  the  light  was.     Finding  I  was  leading  him 

'It  was  reprinted  in  the  National  Intelligencer,  January  3,  1826. 


FIRE  OF  DECEMBER  22,  1825.  133 

round  to  the  western  front,  he  refused  to  accompany  me,  saying  that  if 
the  fire  was  on  that  side  it  belonged  to  the  other  sentry,  who  was  there 
mounting  guard.     I  hastened  to  the  western  front,  but  could  find  no 
sentrj'.     I  went  down  to  the  bottom  of  the  steps  from  which  alone  a 
full  view  of  the  windows  of  the  I^ibrary  could  be  had  and  the  light  was 
then  so  faint  that  I  was  nearly  persuaded  it  must  be  from  a  brand  in 
the  fireplace.     I  resolved,  however,  to  have  it  looked  after,  and  returned 
up  the  steps  with  the  intention  of  calling  again  on  the  sentinel  of  the 
eastern  front.     In  doing  this  I  was  at  length  accosted  by  a  sentry  who 
came  out  of  the  door  on  the  western  front  and  challenged  me.     I  had 
the  same  explanations  to  go  through  with  him  and  the  same  difficulty 
to  persuade  him  that  there  could  be  anything  besides  a  flame  from  a 
half-extinguished  firebrand.     He,  however,  agreed  to  step  with  me  to  a 
spot  where  he  could  see  the  light.     He  pronounced  it  not  greater  than 
he  had  often  seen,  but  agreed  to  call  the  sergeant  of  the  guard,  who, 
after  some  time,  made  his  appearance.     On  my  pointing  out  to  him  the 
light  he  made  the  same  remark  as  had  been  made  by  the  sentries — he 
had  often  seen  such  a  light  before.     I  begged  him  to  go  up  and  examine 
the  I^ibrary  or  let  me  do  it.     It  was,  he  said,  locked,  and  he  neither  had 
the  keys  nor  knew  who  had  them  nor  where  to  go  for  information.     I 
then  urged  him  at  least  to  go  to  the  I^ibrary  door  and  discover,  if  possi- 
ble, by  looking  through  the   keyhole,   whether    there  was   fire.     This 
he  undertook  to  do,  and  as  the  light  was  at  this  time  very  faint  I  was 
overpowered  by  the  continual  assurance  that  it  was  an  ordinary  appear- 
ance, and  having  no  authority  (and  had  I  thought  it  right  or  possessed 
the  means)  to  break  open  the  strong  mahogany  doors  of  the  Library 
room,  I  left  the  sergeant  with  the  remark  that  ' '  I  have  done  my  duty, 
and  he  must  now  do  his,"  and  went  to  my  lodgings.     The  sergeant,  as 
I  understood  from  him,  went  up  to  the  I^ibrary  door,  but  as  it  was  a 
very  closely  fitted  door  with  another  of  baize  within,  he  neither  saw  any 
light  nor  perceived  any  smoke  to  issue  from  the  room.     He  accordingly 
returned  to  the  guardroom.     The  appearance  which  he  had  seen  with 
me  from  the  window  and  my  urgency  with  him  dwelt,  as  he  stated,  on 
his  mind,  and  after  about  ten  minutes,  a.s  he  thinks,  but  I  suspect  rather 
longer,  he  went  again  to  the  bottom  of  the  western  steps  to  reconnoitre. 
The  light  was  now  so  strong  that  he  thought  it  his  duty  to  endeavor  to 
get  the  door  opened,  though  he  did  not  feel  authorized  in  using  force 
for  the  purpose.     After  making  several  unsuccessful  inquiries  in  the 
neighborhood,  he    found   out  where   the  lyibrarian  of   Congress  lives. 
This  was  at  some  distance  from  the  Capitol  and  considerable  delay,  of 
course,  ensued.     At  length  the  Librarian   and   sergeant    reached   the 
Capitol,  and  on  opening  the  Library  door  a  bright  fire  was  discovered  in 
one  of  the  galleries  of  the  hall.     A  bucket  or  two  of  water  if  then  at 
command  would  have  extinguished  it.     But  there  were  no  buckets  at 
hand  and  the  distance  from  the  pump  on  the  eastern  front  to  the  hall  of 


134  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE  LIBRARY,    1815-1829. 

the  Library  was  so  great  as  to  prevent  a  rapid  supply  by  a  few  hands. 
It  was  now  after  midnight.  A  small  bell  in  the  Capitol  yard,  used  to 
call  the  workmen  together,  was  the  only  means  of  giving  the  alarm,  and 
it  was  necessary  for  the  sergeant  and  his  guard  to  run  round  the  neigh- 
borhood and  awaken  the  inhabitants.  I  had  just  gone  to  bed,  but  on 
the  first  touch  of  the  bell  hastened  to  the  Capitol.  The  engine  house 
was  locked,  but  we  wrenched  it  open.  A  few  buckets  were  procured, 
and  with  these  a  little  water  carried  to  the  Library.  The  members  and 
citizens  now  began  to  collect  rapidly,  and  an  admirable  hose,  several 
hundred  feet  in  length,  was  conducted  wholly  through  this  immense 
building  into  the  hall.  This  saved  the  Capitol,  though  with  great  diffi- 
culty and  with  a  very  narrow  escape.  The  fire  was  just  reaching  the 
timber  of  the  arched  vault  of  the  hall,  from  which  it  would  have  been 
difficult  to  prevent  its  spreading  ver>^  widely.  It  was  between  two  and 
three  hours  before  the  fire  was  extinguished  and  by  this  time  the 
Library  hall,  so  lately  one  of  the  most  beautiful  rooms  you  ever  saw, 
was  a  sad  spectacle.  Upon  the  whole,  however,  the  loss  had  not  been 
heavy.  No  books  are  destroyed  which  can  not  be  replaced,  and  the 
greater  part  of  those  burned  in  the  gallery  were  duplicate  sets  of  public 
documents. 

This  narrative  is  supplemented  by  the  account  given  in 
the  National  Intelligencer^  December  24: 

About  12  o'clock  on  Thursday  night  Vincent,  the  sergeant  of  the 
guard  on  duty  at  the  Capitol,  being  apprised  of  an  unusual  light  in  the 
apartment  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  alarmed  the  Librarian,  who 
instantly  came  to  the  spot,  and  on  opening  the  doors  perceived  a  part  of 
the  western  gallery  (of  wood)  which  runs  round  the  apartment  to  be  on 
fire.  He  immediately  removed  the  books  in  the  alcove  adjoining,  and 
the  alarm  being  spread  the  citizens  promptly  assembled.  An  engine 
and  hose  were  brought  and  by  the  very  active  exertions  of  the  firemen, 
aided  by  a  number  of  members  of  Congress,  who  vied  with  one  another 
in  their  exertions  to  save  the  Library,  the  flames  were  extinguished  in 
less  than  an  hour. 

Very  few  of  the  books,  and  those  of  little  value,  are  consumed.  Some 
others,  of  course,  are  injured  by  the  wet  and  by  a  hasty  removal,  but 
the  loss  is  trifling  to  what  might  have  been  expected.  The  ceiling  of 
the  saloon  is  partially  destroyed  and  one  of  the  alcoves  of  the  beautiful 
apartment.  It  is  believed  that  the  fire  originated  from  a  caudle,  left 
in  the  gallery  by  a  gentleman  who  was  reading  there  till  a  late  hour, 
and  who  being  upstairs  was  not  noticed  when  the  Library  was  closed. 
*  *  ^  Among  the  members  earliest  aroused  and  most  active  were 
Mr.  Houston,  Mr.  Webster,  Mr.  Dwight,  and  Mr.  Wickliffe.  Mr. 
Ward,  of  New  York,  narrowly  escaped  great  injury  from  the  falling  of 
the  plaster. 


FIRE   OF   DECEMBER   22,    1 82 5.  1 35 

This  list  of  names  was  supplemented  in  the  Intelligencer 
of  December  27  by  those  of  Mr.  Dickerson,  Mr.  Noble,  Mr. 
Gamsey,  Mr.  Sloane,  and  Mr.  Stewart.  Of  the  citizens  few 
were  aroused  except  those  on  Capitol  Hill.  Among  those 
Mr.  Joseph  Ingle  was  conspicuously  active.  In  a  discussion 
in  183 1  over  the  necessity  of  a  water  suppl}'  for  the  Capitol 
it  was  further  remarked  that  if  the  fire  had  continued  five 
minutes  longer  than  it  did,  the  Capitol  would  have  been  a 
ruin  on  the  succeeding  morning,  for  the  two  pumps  in  the 
yard  gave  out  at  the  very  moment  the  last  bucket  was  thrown 
on  the  expiring  blaze.' 

On  the  28th  of  December,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Van  Rensse- 
laer, the  House  of  Representatives  ^^  Resolved^  That  the  Com- 
mittee on  the  Library  be  instructed  to  inquire  into  the  cause 
of  the  fire  by  which  the  Library  room  and  the  Library  of 
Congress  sustained  damage  on  the  night  of  the  2 2d  of 
December,  instant,  and  to  report  whether  any  person  or  per- 
sons in  the  employ  of  the  Government  be  chargeable  with 
negligence  in  relation  to  the  same."^  On  the  4th  of  January 
the  committee,  by  Mr.  Everett,  reported  that  they  did  not 
feel  prepared  to  express  an  opinion  on  the  question  whether 
any  person  in  the  employ  of  the  Government  was  chargeable 
with  negligence,  and  the  report  was  ordered  to  lie  on  the 
table. ^ 

It  was,  however,  more  important  to  prevent  future  fires 
than  to  discover  those  responsible  for  the  recent  disaster."* 
One  suggested  that  several  hundred  cords  of  wood  piled 
beneath  the  Capitol  should  be  removed;  if  there  was  treachery 

^  National  Intelligencer,  April  6,  1831. 
^  House  Journal,  p.  10 1. 

3 Nineteenth  Congress,  first  session,  House  report  No.  22.  Printed  also  in  Wash- 
ington Gazette,  January  7,  1826. 

<A  versifier  wrote  in  the  Intelligencer,  December  27: 

The  Congress  Library  has  been  on  fire, 

But  very  little  damage  is  sustained; 
By  error  only,  prudence  we  acquire; 

'Tis  well  experience  is  so  cheaply  gain'd. 

But  for  this  very  lucky  accident 
The  Capitol  were  lost  in  flames  once  more; 

Precaution,  now,  forever  will  prevent 
A  loss  which  all  the  Union  would  deplore. 


136  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,    1815-1829. 

no  better  materials  could  be  furnished  another  Guy  Fawkes 
than  that.  Another  wrote  to  the  Intelligencer^  December  27: 
"  No  lights  ought  ever  to  be  used  in  the  Library.  As  the  books 
can  be  taken  out  to  be  read,  there  can  be  no  necessity  for  the 
Library's  remaining  open  after  sunset.  We  have  heard  that 
the  proper  authority  is  disposed  to  establish  a  rule  conform- 
able to  this  suggestion."  A  "Looker-on"  did  not  agree  to 
this:  "The  excluding  the  members  from  the  Library  at 
candlelight  would  certainly  be  a  preventative,  but  I  have  no 
doubt  it  would  also  be,  in  many  cases,  a  great  privation  and 
inconvenience;  but  even  then  there  might  be  urgent  occa- 
sions when  it  would  be  indispensable  to  go  into  the  Librar}^, 
and  with  a  lighted  candle.  I  therefore  take  the  liberty  to 
offer  the  following  alteration:  Let  all  the  wooden  shelves  be 
removed,  and  then  let  there  be  fixed  as  a  substitute  slabs  of 
cast  iron,  of  suitable  length,  width,  and  thickness,  supported 
by  light  wrought-iron  brackets  at  proper  distances,  and 
painted.  The  expense  would  be  a  mere  trifle  and  it  would 
render  the  Library,  etc.,  completely  fireproof."^ 

Finally,  on  the  3d  of  January,  1826,  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, on  motion  of  Mr.  Ward,  ^^ Resolved,  That  the 
Committee  on  the  Library  be  instructed  to  inquire  into 
the  expediency  of  causing  the  Library  room  to  be  made 
fireproof."^  In  consequence  of  this  resolution  the  Library 
Committee  sought  advice  from  Charles  Bulfinch,  Architect 
of  the  Capitol,  and  obtained  in  response  the  following  letter, 
dated  February  3,  1826: 

In  compliance  with  the  direction  of  the  Committee  of  the  Library, 
communicated  to  me,  I  have  taken  measures  to  ascertain  what  mode 
could  be  adopted  for  rendering  the  Library'  fireproof. 

The  floor  of  this  room  is  wholly  of  brick,  constructed  upon  arches, 
and  is  incombustible.  The  arched  ceiling  is  framed  of  wood,  thickly 
plastered  with  a  hard  coat  of  mortar  and  stucco;  no  change  could  be 
made  in  this  part,  as  the  walls  could  not  sustain  the  strain  and  pressure 
of  a  brick  arch  of  so  great  a  span.  The  alcoves  are  of  wood,  with 
brick  partitions;  this  woodwork  might  be  removed  and  stone  and  iron 
substituted  at  an  expense  *  *  *  of  $1 8,669. 87 >^.  ^"^  i*^  ^^  ^  ^^^' 
ject  which  deserves  consideration,  whether  such  a  mass  of  stone  would 

^Intelligencer,  December  29. 

•Nineteenth  Congress,  first  session,  House  Journal,  p.  113. 


QUESTION   OF   FIRE-PROOF   ROOM.  1 37 

not  be  injurious,  and  in  a  few  years  ruinous,  to  the  books,  from  the  con- 
densation of  moisture  from  the  atmosphere  upon  freestone.  This 
might  be  prevented  in  winter  by  fires  constantly  kept  in  the  room,  but 
would  prevail  in  all  changes  of  weather  of  spring  and  summer.  From 
an  apprehension  of  damage  from  this  cause  to  valuable  books,  I  have 
observed  in  all  the  large  public  libraries  which  I  have  had  the  opportu- 
nit}'  of  seeing  that  no  other  material  than  wood  is  used  near  the  books. 
This  is  the  case  at  the  British  Museum  and  at  the  Bodleian  Library  in 
England,  at  the  Royal  and  National  Library  of  Paris,  and  at  the  Vatican 
at  Rome,  and  in  several  instances  the  books  are  shut  up  in  wooden 
cases. 

In  reply  to  the  other  part  of  your  communication,  I  am  of  opinion 
that  the  danger  of  fire  might  be  considerablj-  diminished  by  taking  away 
the  part  of  woodwork  that  forms  the  parapet  of  the  galleries,  and  by 
putting  an  iron  railing  in  its  place,  and  by  paving  tbe  gallery  floor  with 
brick. 

The  amount  of  these  alterations,  with  the  expenses  attending  the 
repairs  of  the  Library  room,  would  be  $4,000,  which  sum  is  inserted  in 
the  estimates  for  continuing  the  work  at  the  Capitol  the  ensuing  year. 

On  the  6th  of  February,  1826,  the  Library'  Committee,  by 
Air.  Everett,  presented  this  letter,  together  with  their  report 
to  the  House  of  Representatives.'     The  report  read  as  follows: 

That  this  part  of  the  Capitol  could  not  be  rendered  perfectly  fireproof 
without  being  wholly  rebuilt  from  the  foundations  of  the  western  front. 
The  present  walls  of  that  part  of  the  building  are  not.  of  a  solidity  to 
sustain  an  arched  roof.  The  wooden  alcoves  might  be  removed  and 
others  of  stone  substituted,  but  the  introduction  of  such  a  quantity  of 
stone  into  the  hall  of  the  Library  would  probably  be  productive  of  a 
dampness  verj-  injurious  to  the  books.  It  would  also  be  attended  with 
great  expense,  as  appears  from  the  accompanying  letter  from  the  Archi- 
tect of  the  Capitol. 

It  is  supposed  that  the  danger  of  fire  would  be  diminished  b)'  remov- 
ing the  wooden  parapet  of  the  galleries  and  substituting  an  iron  railing 
in  its  place.  But  as  this  would  but  partiall}-  preclude  the  possibilit}-  of 
fire,  as  it  would  be  attended  with  considerable  expense,  and  other  incon- 
venience, and  as  the  Library  can,  in  the  judgment  of  the  committee,  be 
made  sufiiciently  safe  by  proper  care  of  the  lights  and  fires,  the  com- 
mittee do  not  deem  it  expedient  that  the  House  should  adopt  any 
measure  in  the  premises.  They  therefore  recommend  the  passage  of 
the  following  resolution: 

'  'Resolved,  That  the  Library  Committee  of  the  House  of  Represent- 
atives  be  discharged    from    the  further  consideration   of   a   resolution 

■Nineteenth  Congress,  first  session,  House  report  No.  66. 


138  DFA'ELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,    1815-1829. 

of  the  House  of  the  3d  of  January  last,  on  the  subject  of  causing  the 
lyibrary  room  to  be  made  fireproof." 

The  report  was  accordingly  laid  on  the  table. 

In  1836,  Richard  Bartlett,  ex-secretary  of  state  of  New 
Hampshire,  called  attention  to  the  danger  which  the  Library 
of  Congress  was  in,  bnt  nothing  was  done  to  render  the 
Library  room  fireproof  until  after  the  fire  of  1851/ 

NEED    OF   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

The  plans  of  the  new  administration  for  the  library  were 
as  comprehensive  as  its  plans  for  a  library  building;  just  as 
the  private  library  which  Congress  had  acquired  must  be 
transformed  into  a  public  library,  so  the  Library  of  Congress 
must  become  the  library  of  the  nation.  This  idea  was  sug- 
gested on  the  title-page  of  the  new  catalogue  of  18 15.  It 
was  also  put  forward  in  the  National  Intelligencer^  J^ly  3I) 
18 1 5,  in  which  the  following  article  appeared  under  the 
caption  "Congressional  Library:" 

This  valuable  collection  of  books  has,  with  some  difl&culty  and  labor, 
been  at  length  displayed  and  arranged  in  the  house  now  occupied  by 
Congress.  From  the  slight  examination  we  have  been  enabled  to 
make  of  this  library  as  we  are  glad  to  find  the  selection  judicious  and 
the  collection  rare  and  valuable. 

In  all  the  civalized  nations  of  Europe  there  are  national  libraries,  the 
selection  and  increase  of  which  occupy  much  of  governmental  attention. 
In  a  country  of  such  general  intelligence  as  this,  so  laudable  an  example 
should  by  all  means  be  imitated,  and  the  Congressional  or  National 
Library  of  the  United  States  become  the  great  repository  of  the  litera- 
ture of  the  world — the  medium  of  information  and  the  source  of  improve- 
ment and  gratification  to  all  whom  inclination  may  prompt  or  whom 
curiosity  may  lead  to  literature.  We  are  happy  to  say  that  this  is  the 
foundation  of  such  an  establishment  and  that  by  the  fostering  patron- 
age of  Government  it  may,  in  a  few  years,  be  made  the  equal  to  the  most 
extensive  and  splendid  libraries  of  Europe,  the  sneers  of  the  British 
editors  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding.  This  I^ibrary  contains  almost 
every  work  of  merit  in  the  various  branches  of  literature  and  science  in 
its  original  language,  with  various  translations.  Among  its  curiosities 
and  varieties  are  a  Gaelic  or  Irish  Bible,  Arabic  translation  of  Euclid, 
the  first  edition  of  Paradise  Lost,  a  copy  of  Shakespeare  from  an  original 
manuscript,  Domesday  Book,  etc.,  etc.,  etc. 

'  Collectious  of  the  New  Hampshire  Historical  Society,  5:   10. 


NEED   OF  A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY.  1 39 

As  the  foundation  of  a  great  national  librar}'  this  is  an  excellent  col- 
lection, but  it  is  little  more  than  a  foundation.  Many  works  will  yet  be 
necessary  to  complete  it  and  render  it  worthy  of  so  enlightened  a  nation. 
In  some  of  the  departments  of  literature  Mr.  Jefferson  has  not  kept  pace 
with  the  march  of  science  or  the  progress  of  learning.  There  is  a 
deficiency  of  modern  authors  in  some  branches,  but  of  his  collection  of 
natural  history,  politics,  and  law  too  much  can  not  be  said.  It  is,  we 
think,  much  superior  to  the  old  Library  in  the  number  of  volumes  and 
the  scarcity  and  intrinsic  value  of  those  volumes. 

With  a  view  to  render  this  important  establishment  more  valuable 
the  propriet}'  is  suggested  of  increasing  the  annual  appropriation  for  the 
purchase  of  books  from  one  to  two  thousand  dollars.  It  gives  us  pleas- 
ure to  say  that  the  Librarian  attends  every  da}^  which  will  render  an 
examination  of  this  fine  collection  of  books  easy  to  the  curious  and  the 
literati. 

Similarly,  Walsh's  American  Register,^  in  referring  to  the 
Jefferson  collection  in  the  possession  of  Congress,  said: 

A  better  nursery  or  substratum  for  a  great  National  Librar}-  could  not 
be  found,  and  it  surely  will  be  admitted  that  nothing  less  is  to  come 
within  the  aim  of  Congress,  both  on  the  score  of  pride  and  patriotism. 
If  it  could  be  done  by  no  other  agency,  it  was  a  sort  of  duty  with  this 
body  to  transfer  the  literary  treasures  of  Mr.  Jefferson  to  a  spot  where 
they  would  be  easih^  accessible  to  them  and  the  nation;  and  stand  out 
as  a  monument  of  the  national  taste  and  discrimination. 

There  is  an  absolute  obligation  on  the  part  of  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment, to  provide  in  the  Federal  metropolis,  in  shape  of  a  library,  a 
great  reser\^oir  of  instruction  in  all  the  departments  of  human  knowl- 
edge for  the  use  of  the  public  as  well  as  of  its  own  members,  and  the 
library,  certainly,  may  be  so  administered  as  to  be  open  to  the  one  with- 
out at  all  interfering  with  the  studies  or  researches  of  the  other.  In 
fact,  the  idea  of  an  establishment  of  the  kind  set  apart,  and  peculiar  in 
the  character  of  its  materials,  for  the  use  of  Congress,  could  only  spring 
either  from  great  poverty  of  invention  as  to  the  discipline  of  such  estab- 
lishments, or  of  a  very  imperfect  view  of  the  qualifications  of  an  accom- 
plished legislator  and  statesman.  It  is  not  for  Congress  to  presume  that 
there  is  any  branch  of  human  science  for  which  a  body  so  universal  in 
its  composition,  will  not  hereafter  furnish,  in  some  or  others  of  its  mem- 
bers, a  cultivated  or  active  taste;  or  that  there  is  any  branch  which  may 
not  fall  within  its  immense  scope  of  constitutional  action,  so  as  to  make 
the  possession  of  all  the  best  means  of  judgment,  that  is  the  best  treatises 
on  it,  highly  desirable  if  not  indispensable. 

'  Copied  by  the  Washington  Gazette,  July  12,  181 7,  and  by  the  National  Intelligen- 
cer, July  14,  1817. 


I40  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,    1815-1829. 

The  president  of  Harv'ard  College,  John  T.  Kirkland,  in 
an  article  in  the  North  American  Revieiv  for  December, 
1818,  said: 

An  extensive  library,  answering  to  the  wants  of  the  Hterary  men, 
who  are  to  use  it,  is  essential  to  the  public  and  effectual  promotion  of 
learning.  In  this  countrj^  the  want  of  large  libraries  is  a  serious  dis- 
couragement of  superior  attainments  and  accurate  researches  in  almost 
every  walk  of  study.  The  time  necessary  for  reading  or  examining  a 
particular  book  is  often  consumed  in  attempts  to  discover  or  obtain  it; 
and  frequently  after  every  effort,  it  cannot  be  procured.  We  are  obliged 
to  give  over  our  inquiries  on  subjects,  where  we  would  arrive  at  fulness 
and  exactness  in  our  knowledge,  because  destitute  of  the  assistance, 
which  the  learned,  in  the  same  track  of  study,  have  furnished,  or  to 
continue  them  under  the  disadvantage  of  ignorance  respecting  what  has 
been  done  by  others.  Thus  we  are  liable  to  be  occupied  in  solving  difl&- 
culties,  which  have  been  already  cleared,  discussing  questions,  which 
have  been  alreadj-  decided,  and  digging  in  mines  of  literature,  which 
former  ages  have  exhausted.  Every  one,  who  has  been  in  the  waj"  of  pur- 
suing any  branch  of  study  in  our  country  beyond  the  mere  elements,  or 
the  polite  and  popular  literature  of  the  time,  knows  how  soon  the  prog- 
ress is  often  arrested  for  want  of  books.  This  is  not  the  case  merely  with 
persons  of  moderate  means,  who  are  unable  to  purchase  a  librarj^  of 
their  own,  but  it  is  a  want  felt  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances. 
*  *  *  Our  libraries  are  miscellaneous,  their  number  of  books  small, 
the  sum  total  scattered  over  all  the  branches  of  knowledge,  and  intro- 
duced by  separate  contributions,  without  mutual  reference  to  each  other. 

It  may  still  be  said  we  do  not  want  books.  What  do  we  then  want? 
Do  we  want  literature  ?  Do  we  want  science  ?  Do  we  want  knowledge  to 
be  in  the  land  ?  Do  we  want  something  written,  that  will  give  a  tone 
to  the  nation,  that  will  promote  a  general  taste  in  the  people,  that  will 
furnish  our  children  something  to  boast  of?  Will  it  be  said,  a  great 
library  will  not  supply  these  wants?  Let  Mr.  Ames  answer: — "all  the 
libraries  in  America  would  not  furnish  materials  for  a  work  like  Gib- 
bon's Decline  of  the  Roman  Empire."  Whatever  causes  may  stand  in 
the  way  of  such  a  work  being  written,  this  is  one  and  an  adequate 
one, — for  all  the  gifts  and  graces  within  the  circle  of  the  seven  sciences, 
cannot  confer  the  power  of  working  without  tools.  One  would  think 
that  a  library  should  be  that,  wherein  least  division  of  opinion  should 
exist.  In  this,  all  other  nations  have  agreed,  ancient  and  modern, 
Greek  and  Roman,  Catholic  and  Protestant,  all  have  their  large  libraries. 
We  alone  will  take  upon  ourselves  to  do  with  them;  either  despising  the 
literary'  character,  or  undertaking  to  invent  over  again  the  arts  and 
sciences,  and  rewrite  the  books  of  all  the  other  countries  and  ages. 


CLASSIFICATION   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  141 

And  Henry  E.  Dwight  wrote  in  1826:'  "I  should  look 
upon  the  individual  who  should  establish  such  a  library  in 
the  United  States  as  that  of  Gottingen  as  the  greatest  bene- 
factor to  my  country  who  has  lived  since  the  days  of 
Washington." 

At  that  time,  however,  Washington  was  not  a  good  loca- 
tion for  a  large  library.  It  was  the  home  of  few  students 
and  it  was  too  far  removed  from  the  homes  of  such  students 
as  there  were  at  that  time  in   other  parts  of   the   country. 

CLASSIFICATION   OF   THE   LIBRARY. 

The  first  problem  of  the  administration,  after  a  room  had 
been  fitted  up  for  the  reception  of  the  new  Library  in  the 
Blodget  Building,  was  the  classification  and  arrangement  of 
that  Library  in  its  new  quarters.  Already,  on  the  26th  of 
April,  1815,  Librarian  Watterston  had  written  to  Jefferson:' 

You  will  excuse  the  liberty  I  take,  as  a  stranger,  in  trespassing  on 
your  attention.  The  President  has  been  pleased  to  appoint  me  Librarian 
to  Congress,  and  consequently  superintendent  of  the  books  now  in  your 
possession.  I  am  solicitous  to  obtain  your  opinion  as  a  gentleman  of 
literary  taste  on  the  subject  of  arrangement.  Your  long  acquaintance 
with  books  and  your  literar>^  habits  have,  doubtless,  led  you  to  the 
adoption  of  some  plan  of  arrangement  with  respect  to  libraries,  which  I 
should  be  happy  if  you  would  communicate.  If  you  think  the  plan  you 
have  followed  in  the  arrangement  of  the  present  librar^^  be  the  most 
judicious,  you  would  obHge  me  by  having  the  books  packed  up  in  boxes 
according  to  that  arrangement.  I  have  long  thought  the  arrangement 
of  the  old  Library  was  incorrect  and  injudicious,  and  must  therefore,  be 
avoided  in  the  present  which  is  considerably  larger,  and  I  presume, 
much  more  select  and  valuable. 

You  would  oblige  me  by  advising  me  when  you  think  the  books  will 
reach  this  place.  I  am  preparing  a  room  for  their  reception,  which  I 
think  will  be  completed  in  the  course  of  a  month.  You  will  not  neglect 
to  forward  a  catalogue  if  you  have  a  spare  copy,  as  I  wish  to  have  it 
printed  as  early  as  possible.  I  fear  the  room  selected  is  not  quite  large 
enough  to  contain  the  books.  If  so,  I  will  have  some  artificial  stands 
erected  to  receive  them. 

In  response  JefFerson  sent  him  an  account  of  his  system  of 
library  classification.     This  system,  like  that  of  D'Alembert 

'Travels  in  Germany,  p.  183. 

» Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  88,  No.  53. 


142  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,    1815-1829. 

and  the  Encyclopedists,  and  like  that  of  Augustus  Brevoort 
Woodward,  a  friend  of  Jefferson's,  an  early  resident  of  the 
District  of  Columbia,  and  for  a  time  judge  of  the  Territory 
of  Michigan,  was  based  on  the  Baconian  classification  of 
science.  Librarian  Watterston  expressed  the  belief  in  the 
National  Intellige7iccr^  June  15,  1853,  that  Jefferson  was 
much  indebted  to  Woodward  in  the  elaboration  of  his  system 
of  classification,  but  the  correspondence  between  the  two 
seems  to  indicate  that  if  there  was  any  indebtedness  at  all  it 
was  on  the  other  side,  for  in  a  letter  of  August  16,  181 3, 
some  years  before  he  had  published  his  own  system,  Wood- 
ward wrote  to  Jefferson  about  the  latter's  system,'  and  when 
Jefferson's  S3^stem  was  published  in  181 5,  criticised  it  as  not 
being  capable  of  indefinite  division  and  expansion.^ 

Jefferson  explained  his  system  of  classification,  first  in  a 
letter  to  Librarian  Watterston,  dated  May  7,  181 5,  and  after- 
wards in  a  preface  to  "A  catalogue  of  books  forming  the 
bod}^  of  a  library  for  the  University  of  Virginia,"-^  written 
between  the  years  1820  and  1825. 

The  latter  was  Jefferson's  only  formal  explanation  of  his 
system  of  classification;  it  is  also  more  theoretical  than  the 
letter  to  Mr.  Watterston.     It  may,  therefore,  be  given  first: 

All  explanation  of  the  Views  on  which  this  Catalogue  has  been 
prepared. 

1.  Great  standard  works  of  established  reputation,  too  voluminous 
and  too  expensive  for  private  libraries,  should  have  a  place  in  every 
public  library,  for  the  free  resort  of  individuals. 

2.  Not  merely  the  best  books  in  their  respective  branches  of  science 
should  be  selected,  but  such  also  as  were  deemed  good  in  their  day,  and 
which  consequently  furnish  a  history  of  the  advance  of  the  science. 

3.  The  opera  omnia  of  writers  on  various  subjects  are  sometimes  placed 
in  that  chapter  of  this  Catalogue  to  which  their  principal  work  belongs, 
and  sometimes  referred  to  the  Polygraphical  chapter. 

4.  In  some  cases,  besides  the  opera  omnia,  a  detached  tract  has  been 
also  placed  in  its  proper  chapter,  on  account  of  editorial  or  other  merit. 

'Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  88,  No.  155. 

'Charles  Moore,  Augustus  Brevoort  Woodward,  in  records  of  the  Columbian  His- 
torical Society  (1901),  4:  124-125;  see  also  the  National  Intelligencer,  October  7, 
1818,  and  the  explanations  of  "Woodward's  epistemic  system,  chiefly  notable  for  its 
nomenclature,"  in  the  National  Intelligencer,  May  26,  1819,  and  January  26,  1821. 

3This  preface  is  printed  from  the  MS.  preserved  in  the  University  of  Virginia  by 
the  University  librarian,  Mr.  F.  W.  Page,  in  the  Alumni  Bulletin  of  the  University 
of  Virginia,  2:  79,  November,  1895. 


CLASSIFICATION   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  143 

5.  Books  in  very  rare  languages  are  considered  here  as  specimens  of 
language  only,  and  are  placed  in  the  chapter  of  Philology,  without 
regard  to  their  subject. 

6.  Of  the  classical  authors,  several  editions  are  often  set  down  on 
account  of  some  peculiar  merit  in  each. 

7.  Translations  are  occasionally  noted,  on  account  of  their  peculiar 
merit  or  of  difficulties  of  their  originals. 

8.  Indifferent  books  are  sometimes  inserted,  because  none  good  are 
known  on  the  same  subject. 

9.  Nothing  of  mere  amusement  should  lumber  a  public  library. 

10.  The  8vo.  form  is  generally  preferred,  for  the  convenience  with 
which  it  is  handled,  and  the  compactness  and  symmetry  of  arrangement 
on  the  shelves  of  the  library. 

1 1 .  Some  chapters  are  defective  for  the  w^ant  of  a  more  familiar  knowl- 
edge of  their  subjects  in  the  compiler,  others  from  schisms  in  the  science 
they  relate  to.  In  Medicine,  e.  g.,  the  changes  of  theory  which  have 
successively  prevailed,  from  the  age  of  Hippocrates  to  the  present  day, 
have  produced  distinct  schools  acting  on  different  hj^potheses,  and  headed 
by  respected  names,  such  as  Stahl,  Boerhave,  Sydenham,  Hoffman, 
Cullen,  and  our  own  good  Dr.  Rush,  whose  depletive  and  mercurial  sys- 
tems have  formed  a  school,  or  perhaps  revived  that  which  arose  on 
Han-ey's  discovery  of  the  circulation  of  the  blood.  In  religion,  divided 
as  it  is  into  multifarious  creeds,  differing  in  their  bases,  and  more  or  less 
in  their  superstructure,  such  moral  works  have  been  chiefly  selected  as 
may  be  approved  by  all,  omitting  what  is  controversial  and  merely  sec- 
tarian. Metaphysics  have  been  incorporated  with  Ethics,  and  little 
extention  given  to  them.  For,  while  some  attention  may  be  usefully 
bestowed  on  the  operations  of  thought,  prolonged  investigations  of  a 
faculty  unamenable  to  the  test  of  our  senses,  is  an  expense  of  time  too 
unprofitable  to  be  worthy  of  indulgence.  Geology,  too,  has  been  merged 
in  Mineralogj^  which  may  properly  embrace  what  is  useful  in  this  sci- 
ence, that  is  to  say,  a  knowledge  of  the  general  .stratification,  collocation 
and  sequence  of  the  different  species  of  rocks  and  other  mineral  sub- 
stances, while  it  takes  no  cognisance  of  theories  for  the  self-generation 
of  the  universe,  or  the  particular  revolutions  of  our  own  globe  by  the 
agency  of  water,  fire,  or  other  agent,  subordinate  to  the  fiat  of  the 
Creator. 

The  letter  which  President  Jefferson  wrote  to  Librarian 
Watterston,  May  7,  181 5,  was,  under  the  circumstances,  of  a 
more  practical  character.     It  was  as  follows : ' 

I  have  duly  received  your  favor  of  April  26th,  in  which  you  are  pleased 
to  ask  my  opinion  on  the  subject  of  the  arrangement  of  libraries.     I 

'Jefferson  MSS.,  series  i,  vol.  14,  No.  4. 


144  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE  LIBRARY,    1815-1829. 

shall  communicate  with  pleasure  what  occurs  tome  ou  it.  Two  methods 
offer  themselves,  the  one  alphabetical,  the  other  according  to  the  subject 
of  the  book.  The  former  is  ver}^  unsatisfactory',  because  of  the  medley 
it  presents  to  the  mind,  the  difficulty  sometimes  of  recalling  an  author's 
name,  and  the  greater  difficulty,  where  the  name  is  not  given,  of  selecting 
the  word  in  the  title,  which  shall  determine  its  alphabetical  place.  The 
arrangement  according  to  subject  is  far  preferable,  although  sometimes 
presenting  difficult}'  also,  for  it  is  often  doubtful  to  what  particular  subject 
a  book  should  be  ascribed.  This  is  remarkably  the  case  with  books  of 
travels,  which  often  blend  together  the  geograph}',  natural  history,  civil 
history,  agriculture,  manufactures,  commerce,  arts,  occupations,  manners, 
etc. ,  of  a  country,  .so  as  to  render  it  difficult  to  say  to  which  they  chiefly 
relate.  Others  again,  are  polygraphical  in  their  nature,  as  Encj^clope- 
dias,  magazines,  etc.  Yet  on  the  whole  I  have  preferred  arrangement 
according  to  subject,  because  of  the  peculiar  satisfaction,  when  we  wish 
to  consider  a  particular  one,  of  seeing  at  a  glance  the  books  which  have 
been  written  on  it,  and  selecting  those  from  which  we  effect  most  readily 
the  information  we  seek.  On  this  principle  the  arrangement  of  my 
librar\^  was  formed,  and  I  took  the  basis  of  its  distribution  from  1,0 rd 
Bacon's  table  of  science,  modifying  it  to  the  changes  in  scientific  pur- 
suits which  have  taken  place  since  his  time,  and  to  the  greater  or  less 
extent  of  reading  in  the  science  which  I  proposed  to  mj^self.  Thus  the 
law  having  been  my  profession,  and  politics  the  occupation  to  which  the 
circumstances  of  the  times  in  which  I  have  lived  called  my  particular 
attention,  my  provision  of  books  in  these  lines,  and  in  those  most  nearly 
connected  with  them  was  more  copious,  and  required  in  particular 
instances  subdivisions  into  sections  and  paragraphs,  while  other  sub- 
jects of  which  general  views  only  were  contemplated  are  thrown  into 
masses.  A  physician  or  theologist  would  have  modified  differently,  the 
chapters,  sections,  and  paragraphs  of  a  library  adapted  to  their  particular 
pursuits. 

You  will  receive  my  library  arranged  very  perfectly  in  the  order 
observed  in  the  catalogue,  which  I  have  sent  with  it.  In  placing  the 
books  on  their  shelves,  I  have  generally,  but  not  always,  collocated 
distinctly  the  folios,  quarto,  octavo,  and  duodecimo,  placing  with  the 
last  all  smaller  sizes.  On  every  book  is  a  label,  indicating  the  chapter 
of  the  catalogue  to  which  it  belongs,  and  the  order  it  holds  among 
those  of  the  same  format.  So  that,  although  the  numbers  seem  con- 
fused on  the  catalogue,  they  are  consecutive  on  the  volumes  as  they  stand 
on  their  shelves,  and  indicate  at  once  the  place  they  occupy  there.  Mr. 
Milligan  in  packing  them  has  preserved  their  arrangement  so  exactly, 
in  their  respective  presses,  that  on  setting  the  presses  up  on  end,  he  will 
be  able  readily  to  replace  them  in  the  order  corresponding  with  the  cata- 
logue, and  thus  save  you  the  immense  labor  which  their  rearrangement 
would  otherwise  require. 


CLASSIFICATION   OF  THE  LIBRARY.  1 45 

To  give  to  ni}-  catalogue  the  convenience  of  the  alphabetical  arrange- 
ment I  have  made  at  the  end  an  alphabet  of  authors'  names  and  have 
noted  the  chapter  or  chapters,  in  which  the  name  will  be  found;  where 
it  occurs  several  times  in  the  same  chapter,  it  is  indicated,  by  one  or 
more  perpendicular  scores,  thus  M !  I,  according  to  the  number  of  times 
it  will  be  found  in  the  chapter.  Where  a  book  bears  no  author's  name, 
I  have  selected  in  its  title  some  leading  word  for  denoting  it  alphabeti- 
cally. This  member  of  the  catalogue  would  be  more  perfect  if,  instead 
of  the  score,  the  number  on  the  book  were  particularly  noted.  This 
could  not  be  done  when  I  made  the  catalogue,  because  no  label  of 
numbers  had  then  been  put  on  the  books.  That  alteration  can  now 
be  readily  made,  and  would  add  greatly  to  the  convenient  use  of  the 
catalogue. 

How  these  instructions  were  carried  out  in  the  classifica- 
tion of  tlie  Library  will  be  made  clearer  by  an  examination 
of  the  table  of  contents  and  chapter  headings  of  the  cata- 
logue of  1 81 5.  There  44  main  classes  are  set  down,  and 
under  them  several  subclasses,  as  follows: 

I.  Histor}^  civil;  ancient  history. — 2.  Modern  history,  foreign,  south- 
ern: General  works,  Italy,  Rome,  Plorence,  Naples,  Venice,  Spain, 
Portugal,  France.  Northern:  General  works,  lyapland,  Russia,  Poland, 
Hungar}',  Sweden,  Denmark,  Prussia,  German}^  Flanders,  United 
Netherlands,  Switzerland,  Geneva,  Turkey,  Asia,  Africa. — 3.  Modern 
histor}',  British,  Scotland,  Ireland. — 4.  Modern  history,  American, 
Ante-Revolutionary:  General,  particular.  Post-Revolutionary:  General, 
particular.  Newspapers. — 5.  History,  ecclesiastical. — 6.  History,  nat- 
ural: physics,  natural  philosophy. — 7.  Agriculture. — 8.  Chemistry^ — 
9.  Surgery. — 10.  Medicine. — 11.  Natural  history:  Animals,  anatomy. — 
12.  Natural  history:  Animals,  zoology.  — 13.  Natural  history:  Botany. — 
14.  Natural  history:  Mineralogy. — 15.  History,  natural:  Occupations 
of  man,  technical  arts. — 16.  Philosophy,  moral:  Ethics,  (i)  moral  phil- 
osophy, (2)  law  of  nature  and  nations. — 17.  Religion.  — 18.  Jurispru- 
dence: Equit}'.  — 19.  Juri.sprudence:  Common  law,  bodies  of  law,  stat- 
utes, courts,  entries,  conveyancing,  criminal  law,  tracts,  reports. — 20. 
Jurisprudence:  Law,  merchant. — 21.  Jurisprudence:  Law,  maritime. — 
22.  Jurisprudence:  Law,  ecclesiastical. — 23.  Jurisprudence:  Foreign 
law. — 24.  Politics:  General  theories  of  government,  special  govern- 
ments. Ancient.  Modern.  France:  Monarchical,  revolutionary,  imperial, 
her  colonies.  England:  Con.stitution,  Parliament,  dependencies.  United 
States:  Colonial,  Revolutionary,  reconstituted,  States.  Political  economy: 
General,  statistics,  commerce,  finance. — 25.  Mathematics,  pure:  Arith- 
metic.— 26.  Mathematics,  pure:  Geometry. — 27.  Physics-mathematics: 
Mechanics,  statics,  dynamics,  pneumatics,  phonics,  optics. — 28.  Astron- 
23399—04 10 


146  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

omy. — 29.  Geography,  general:  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  America. — 30. 
Fine  arts:  Architecture. — 31.  Fine  arts:  Gardening,  painting,  sculptur- 
ing.— 32.  Fine  arts:  Music. — 33.  Poetry,  epic. — 34.  Romance,  tales, 
fables. — 35.  Pastorals,  odes,  elegies,  etc. — 36.  Didactic. — 37.  Tragedy. — 
38.  Comedy. — 39.  Dialogue,  epistolary. — 40.  Logic,  rhetoric,  orations. — 
41.  Criticism:  Theory. — 42.  Criticism:  Bibliography. — 43.  Criticism. 
Languages,  general:  Polyglot,  Oriental,  Greek,  I^atin,  Italian,  Spanish, 
French,  Northern,  English,  Welsh. — 44.  Poly  graphical. 

These  were  the  44  chapters  or  classes  in  which  the 
Library  remained,  with  slight  changes,  until  the  end  of  the 
century.  How  they  were  derived  will  be  made  clear  by 
the  accompanying  plan,  a  facsimile  of  that  printed  in  the 
catalogue  of  181 5. 

This  system  of  classification  was  an  innovation  in  the 
book  world,  which  seems  to  have  been  appreciated  by  intel- 
ligent visitors  to  the  Library.  One  of  these,  Mr.  Mackenzie, 
editor  of  the  Colojiial  Advocate^  York,  Canada,  wrote  that  the 
Librar}^  was  "remarkably  well  arranged,  each  description  of 
books  being  kept  by  themselves," '  and  the  editor  of  the  Wash- 
ington City  Chronicle^  in  commenting  upon  his  remarks,  said: 
"The  arrangement,  of  which  the  writer  speaks  so  favorably, 
is  one  which  has  been  much  admired  for  the  facilities  it 
affords  of  finding  any  volume  or  subject  that  may  be 
required."  The  criticism  of  the  Washington  City  Chrojiicle^ 
July  II,  1829,  was  similarly  flattering,  and  at  the  same 
time  instructive.  Its  observation  regarding  the  system  of 
classification  was  this:  "It  is,  perhaps,  the  best  that  has  yet 
been  introduced.  It  is  indeed,  scientific,  and  by  keeping  all 
books  upon  the  same  subject  together  and  under  one  head,  it 
affords  facilities  that  no  other  mode  hitherto  adopted  has  been 
found  to  yield.  This  classification  is,  however,  not  so  well 
calculated  for  display  as  the  common  mode  of  arranging 
according  to  size,  because  one  division  being  often  much  less 
than  another,  large  volumes  are  some  times  placed  above 
smaller  ones,  or  chasms  are  left  in  the  shelves  which  are  not 
agreeable  to  the  eye.  But  the  subjects  being  kept  apart,  each 
can  with  more  facility  be  consulted.  To  render  this  arrange- 
ment more  complete  it  would  be  proper  to  make  some  addi- 

'  Colonial  Advocate,  reprinted  in  Washington  City  Chronicle,  November  7,  1829, 
and  in  National  Intelligencer,  November  9,  1829. 


OKls  jpay  I*  clngwd  nrcaviliiu;  to  {he  fiKiiUifg  of  ilip  i ' 
"4#^ini.M0JlY.      -     U.     HKASON. 


HISTORY. 


A\'lii<li  im-  iiii|i|icil  ivvjHi 

11.    i'im,()S()i>iiv. 


'  ii\  (III  llicm  :  ilic-o  ai 
I.M.\«ilXATI<)N. 


III.     FINE  AIJTK. 


(    \l.-lrM( 
fCnil  I'l-iMl  ] 


AiiCini'  ll'-l^ 
<  iMini-ii 

(  .\;iirni!in 


[Knli>i.i>iiihl "  F«tli-.ia^ticnl 

^NiitiiMl  J'hilosoj'liy 

A-.in,;(„iv         .     . 
r'"''.''^!"' ,1  ('l,<ini-<ti.v     .     .     . 


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L.Mc.li.ii,,. 


■^  f  Animals  .     . 

Nal.  llisl.  I'liipor  ),.       ,  ,  , 
I  /     I'Sii'lal'lf" 

I  '  Minerals      .     .     . 

LO(i  iiiialioiis  of  .Man 


I  Anatdiiiv       !     . 

llolany         .     . 
Miiicralo^y 
'IVrlinicai  Arts 


Jf.    PH1L0S0PJIY<? 


Ethirs        .      .      .     .      .      ,     .     .      •     .      .       $T^"™'  Plul<iaO|)liy         ^ 
f  '     '    -"^ '■•ofNaliirc&N'Htion*  C 

!  Religious     •     .     .     .  J{cli|;i(iii 

I  rE.j.iity  .     ..    ; 

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I  C  Doiiirstic  <  J-aw  Mi'i<!:aiil 

hnw  Maritime 
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isn 


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Pbys!fo-Ma'Jicmati<a 


III.    FINE  ARTS 


fArfliitpdiire 
GHrdriiiiig 
Painiing 
Sculpture 
Music 


•^  Poetry 


Aothon  who  hare  written  on  varioua  branche* 


Oratory 


Criticism 


PastonSS^^W 

^) 

0(k-s 

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l)ialos;in' 

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V  Bibli(ip;rapliy 

( 

ivangua;;!-^ 

Polygraphical 


FACSIMILE  OK  JKHFKRSON'S  SCHKMK  OF  CLASSIFICATION. 
History  of  the  l.ibrary  of  Congress,  vol.  i,  jilate  ii. 


CATALOGUING   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  147 

tional  subdivisions,  as  Biography,  ancient  and  modern, 
Archaeolog}^,  Conchology,  etc." 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  Jefferson  himself  would  have 
changed  the  system  somewhat.  In  a  letter  to  Woodward, 
dated  March  24,  1824,  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  Wood- 
ward's system  of  universal  science,  he  said: ' 

"Were  I  to  recompose  my  tabular  view  of  the  sciences,  I 
should  certainly  transfer  a  particular  branch.  The  natural- 
ists, you  know,  divide  the  history  of  Nature  into  three 
kingdoms,  or  departments,  Zoologj^,  Botany,  Mineralogy. 
Ideology,  or  mind,  however,  occupies  so  much  space  in  the 
field  of  science,  that  we  might  perhaps  erect  it  into  a  fourth 
kingdom,  or  department,  but  inasmuch  as  it  makes  a  part 
of  the  animal  construction  only  it  would  be  more  proper  to 
subdivide  Zoology  into  physical  and  moral,  the  latter  includ- 
ing ideology,  ethics,  and  mental  science  generally.  In  my 
catalogue,  considering  ethics  as  well  as  religion,  as  supple- 
ments to  law  in  the  government  of  men,  I  had  placed  them  in 
that  sequence,  but  certainly  the  faculty  of  thought  belongs  to 
animal  history,  is  an  important  portion  of  it,  and  should  there 
find  its  place." 

CATALOGUES    OF    THE    LIBRARY. 

In  the  cataloguing  of  the  Library  Jefferson's  advice  was  not 
followed  with  equal  fidelit}^  nor  with  equal  applause.  On  the 
13th  of  October,  181 5,  Librarian  Watterston  wrote  to  Mr. 
Jefferson:  ^ 

"I  am  happ3^  to  inform  you  that  the  catalogue  is  now  in 
press,  and  that  in  a  few  weeks,  it  will  be  published.  I  have 
preserved  your  arrangement,  as  one  that  I  think  excellent 
and  that  I  had  previously  thought  of  adopting.  I  have  intro- 
duced but  one  alteration,  and  that  is  in  arranging  each  chap- 
ter alphabetically.  Having  pasted  printed  labels  on  each 
volume,  it  gives  them  a  uniformit}^  of  appearance  quite  agree- 
able to  the  eye.  Having  put  them  up  in  a  very  beautiful  and 
commodious  appartment,  the  display  is  really  beautiful,  and 
seems  to  meet  with  the  approbation  of  all.     The  proof-sheet 

'Jefferson  MSS.,  series  i,  vol.  14,  No.  287. 
"Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  88,  No.  54. 


148  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   UBRARY,  1815-1829. 

of  the  catalogue  is  examined  several  times,  and  by  several 
persons,  so  that  it  is  as  accurate  as  can  well  be  made.  I  have 
from  the  very  scant  and  limited  appropriation  made  by  Con- 
gress (onl}'-  Soo  dollars),  been  obliged  to  exercise  some  inge- 
nuit}^  to  get  the  catalogue  printed  before  the  session  of 
Congress.  As  soon  as  it  is  completed,  I  will  send  you  a 
copy." 

Watterston  had  retained  Jefferson's  chapter  divisions  in 
the  catalogue,  but  had  thrown  the  different  subdivisions  and 
paragraphs  together.  For  example,  he  had  retained  "Chap- 
ter 2.  Modern  History:  Foreign."  But  the  subdivisions  and 
paragraphs  of  that  chapter — "  Southern:  General  works,  Italy, 
Rome,  Florence,  Naples,  Venice,  Spain,  Portugal,  France. 
Northern:  General  works,  Lapland,  Russia,  Poland,  Hungary, 
Sweden,  Denmark,  Prussia,  Germany,  Flanders,  United 
Netherlands,  Switzerland,  Geneva,  Turkey,  Asia,  Africa" — 
according  to  which  the  books  had  previously  been  classified, 
were  merely  indicated  in  the  chapter  headings  of  the  cata- 
logue; the  titles  were  arranged  in  one  alphabet. 

This  arrangement  was  satisfactory  neither  to  Jefferson  nor 
to  the  Library  Committee.  The  former  thought  it  too  unsci- 
entific and  objected  to  any  modification  in  the  system  of  cata- 
loguing and  classification  which  he  had  suggested.  He  wrote 
March  2,  1816,':  "I  received  three  copies  of  the  catalogue  from 
Mr.  Milligan,  for  which  I  thank  you.  The  typography  is 
handsome,  and  the  execution  generally  pleasing  to  the  eye. 
There  are  some  errors  of  the  press,  but  with  such  a  number 
of  titles  in  so  many  different  languages  it  could  not  be 
expected  to  be  otherwise.  You  ask  how  I  like  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  chapters.  Of  course,  you  know,  not  so  well  as 
my  own;  yet  I  think  it  possible  the  alphabetical  arrangement 
ma}^  be  more  convenient  to  readers  generally  than  mine, 
which  was  something  analytical,  something  chronological, 
and  sometimes  a  combination  of  both." 

The  Library  Committee,  on  the  other  hand,  thought  the 
arrangement  of  the  catalogue  too  scientific,  and  objected 
because  the  Librarian  had  not  made  further  modifications  in 
the  system   suggested  by  Jefferson.     To  this  the  Librarian 

'Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  88,  Nos.  51-52. 


CATALOGUING   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  149 

referred  in  his  letter  to  Jefferson,  dated  January  29,  1816,  as 
follows:^  "The  Library  Committee  are  dissatisfied  with  me 
for  having  the  catalogue  printed  without  having  waited  to 
consult  their  superior  judgmejit;  but  the  members  generally 
speak  very  highly  of  your  arrangement  and  disposition  of 
the  books,  and,  I  suppose,  will  have  no  hesitation  in  allowing 
for  its  printing,  the  report  of  the  committee  to  the  contrary 
notwithstanding. ' ' 

The  report  of  the  Library  Committee  here  referred  to  had 
been  made  three  days  before,  and  was  as  follows:  "Your 
committee  are  persuaded  that  however  ingenous,  scientific, 
philosophical,  and  useful  such  a  catalogue  may  be  in  the 
possession  of  a  gentleman  who,  as  was  the  case  with  the 
former  proprietor  of  this  now  the  Library  of  Congress,  has 
classed  his  books  himself,  who  alone  has  access  to  them, 
and  has  become  from  long  habit  and  experience  as  perfectly 
familiar  with  every  book  in  his  library  as  a  man  who  has 
long  lived  in  a  city  is  familiar  with  every  street,  square,  lane, 
and  alle}^  in  it;  still  this  form  of  catalogue  is  much  less 
useful  in  the  present  state  of  our  Library,  consisting  chiefly 
of  miscellanies,  not  always  to  be  classed  correctly  under  any 
particular  head,  than  a  plain  catalogue  in  the  form  which 
had  been  adopted  for  the  formation  of  the  catalogue  of  the 
old  Library,  which  probably  might  not  have  cost  more  than 
$100,  if  that  much,  whilst  the  catalogue  with  which  we  were 
presented,  including  three  copies  of  it  bound  half  gilt,  costs 
the  United  States  $1,360.50,  one-third  more  than  the  annual 
appropriation  made  heretofore  by  Congress  for  the  additional 
increase  of  the  Library,  and  more  than  one-twentieth  of  the 
actual  cost  of  our  whole  Library."  The  main  point  against 
the  catalogue  was  its  cost. 

Impartial  observers,  however,  and  among  them  the  editor 
of  the  Colonial  Advocate^  above  mentioned,  admired  the  form 
of  the  catalogue  as  one  particularl}^  useful  in  large  libraries, 
and  facilitating  the  finding  of  not  only  any  author  wanted, 
but  also  of  other  works  treating  upon  related  subjects.  The 
later  Library  Committee,  too,   recognized   this,   and   in  the 

'Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  8S,  No.  56. 


150  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

compilation  of  the  next  considerable  supplement  to  the  cata- 
logue of  1 81 5 — the  catalogue  of  1827 — the  same  arrangement 
was  observed.' 

The  first  step  taken  by  the  new  administration  to  com- 
plete the  collection  of  books  in  its  custody  was  to  publish  the 
following  notice  in  the  National  Intelligencer  September  15, 
1815: 

CARD. 

Library  of  the  United  States. 
Congress  having  supplied  the  loss  occasioned  by  the  rude  and  confla- 
grating hand  of  our  late  enemy  by  the  purchase  of  a  library  perhaps 
equal  in  value,  as  far  as  it  extends,  to  any  in  Europe,  and  intending,  as 
they  no  doubt  do,  to  make  it  the  great  national  repository  of  literature 
and  science,  and  in  some  instances  of  the  arts  also,  it  is  desirable  that 
American  authors,  engravers,  and  painters  who  are  solicitous  to  preserve 
their  respective  productions  as  mementos  of  the  times,  would  transmit 
to  the  Library  a  copy  of  such  work  as  they  may  design  for  the  public 
eye.  This  will  serve  not  only  as  a  literary  history  of  this  now  interest- 
ing country'',  but  will  also  tend  to  exhibit  the  progress  and  improvement 
of  the  arts.  The  L/ibrarian,  so  far  as  his  power  and  means  extend,  will 
take  due  care  that  such  productions,  literary  or  graphic,  as  may  be  for- 
warded to  him  shall  be  properly  preserved  and  advantageously  exhibited. 

George  Watterston, 

Librarian  of  Congress. 

In  this  letter  it  is  possible  to  see  the  influence  of  Doctor 
Thornton  and  the  Patent  Office,  at  this  time  located  in  the 
Post-Office  building  also,  and  possibly  of  the  English  copy- 
right laws,  which  provided  copies  of  copyrighted  works  for 
each  of  the  leading  libraries  of  the  Kingdom. 

Of  more  immediate  consequence  were  the  recommenda- 
tions of  the  Library  Committee  touching  the  deficit  in  the 
Library  account  incurred  in  the  classification  and  cataloguing 
of  the  Library.  On  the  15th  of  December,  181 5,  on  motion 
of  Mr.  Forsyth,  the  House  instructed  the  Library  Committee 
to  inquire  into  the  expediency  of  increasing  the  sum  appro- 
priated for  the  salary  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  and  for 
the  contingent  expenses  of  the  Library,  and  of  allowing 
additional  compensation  to  the  Librarian  for  services  per- 
formed since  the  last  session  of  Congress;  and  on  the  26th 

'The  supplements  of  1820,  1825,  and  182S,  numbering  respectively  28,  40,  and  16 
pages  were  naturally  arranged  in  one  alphabet. 


ADMINISTRATIVE   MEASURES,  1816.  151 

of   Janiiar}^    18 16,   Mr.  Fromeiitin,  from  the  Joint  Library 
Committee,  made  the  following  report:' 

*  *  «  Your  committee  have  received  from  the  lyibrariau  several 
accounts  of  expenditures,  amounting  together  to  the  sum  of  three  thou- 
sand one  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars  and  sixty-seven  and  a  half  cents, 
exclusive  of  a  sum  of  five  hundred  and  seventy-two  dollars  and  thirty- 
seven  and  a  half  cents  paid  for  packing  and  transporting  the  library, 
and  of  the  sum  of  $1,520,77  for  fitting  up  the  room  where  the  libran,'  is 
now  kept,  which  several  sums  were  appropriated  by  the  act  of  the  3rd 
of  March,  18 15,  entitled  "An  act  to  provide  a  Library  room,  and  for 
transporting  the  library- lately' purchased."  Both  the  letters  received 
from  the  Comptroller  of  the  Treasury-,  as  far  as  respects  the  expenses  of 
packing  and  transporting  the  library;  and  from  the  superintendent  of 
public  buildings  in  Washington,  so  far  as  respects  the  expenses  for  fitting 
up  the  room  where  the  library  is  now  kept,  and  the  accounts  exhibited 
by  the  Librarian  are  submitted  with,  and  your  committee  pray  that  they 
may  be  considered  as  a  part  of,  this  their  report. 

With  respect  to  the  account  of  expenditures  delivered  to  your  com- 
mittee by  the  Librarian,  your  committee  observ^e  that,  except  the  annual 
appropriation  of  eight  hundred  dollars  which  has  been  received  by  the 
Librarian,  there  has  been  no  appropriation  made  by  Congress,  nor,  as  far 
as  your  committee  could  ascertain,  any  authorization  given  b}'  any  person 
to  the  Librarian.  This  unauthorized  expenditure  leaves  a  deficit  to  be 
provided  for,  of  $2,365,673^.  Your  committee  submit  it  to  Congress 
whether  the  peculiar  circumstances  in  which  the  Librarian  was  placed, 
justified  in  part  or  in  totality  the  expenditures  incurred  by  him.  They 
cannot,  however,  help  obsen'ing  that  some  of  the  charges  appear  to 
them  exorbitant,  and  therefore,  in  the  bill  which  they  have  reported, 
the}'  recommend  that  an  authorization  be  given  to  the  committee,  before 
payment  be  made,  to  have  a  due  investigation  made  of  the  several  items 
of  the  accounts,  adx-ising  at  the  same  time,  an  appropriation  for  the 
whole  sum  claimed:  provided  that  if  a  surplus  should  be  unexpended, 
in  consequence  of  the  investigation,  it  may  be  added  to  the  annual 
Library  fund  of  one  thousand  dollars  for  this  year,  to  be  expended  for 
the  purchase  of  books,  under  the  direction  of  the  Joint  Library 
Committee. 

It  is  enough  to  cast  a  rapid  glance  over  the  catalogue  of  the  Librarj' 
of  Congress  to  be  immediately  sensible  of  the  immense  hiatus  which 
some  of  the  departments  of  arts  or  sciences  exhibit.  Some  of  the 
branches  of  the  arts  and  sciences  are  swelled  to  a  prodigious  size,  which 
at  the  same  time  that  it  is  by  no  means  a  certain  proof  of  a  greater 
degree  of  health  in  these  parasite  branches,  manifests  every  symptom 
of  threatening  decay  in  the  tree  itself.  This  was  obser\'able  likewise  in 
the  old  Library  of  Congress,  although  in  a  less  degree.     This  result  is 

•The  first  paragraph,  relating  to  the  room,  has  been  quoted  on  p.  122. 


152  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

not  to  be  wondered  at,  if  we  consider  that  the  inconsiderable  sums  put 
from  time  to  time  at  the  disposal  of  the  joint  committee  precluded  the 
possibility  of  their  availing  themselves  of  the  many  opportunities  which, 
for  twenty-five  years  past,  were  daily  offering  in  Europe  of  purchasing 
large  collections  of  very  valuable  books  on  reasonable  terms.  Those 
opportunities  are  not  yet  all  gone  b)^,  and  your  committee  think  that  the 
convulsions  of  the  eastern  might,  in  a  literary  view,  be  made  conducive 
to  the  interests  of  the  western  world.  The  present  Library  of  Congress 
is  a  good  foundation;  and  one  half  of  the  sum  which  it  has  cost, 
judiciously  employed  under  the  direction  of  the  Joint  Library  Commit- 
tee, would  place  within  the  reach  of  every  member  of  Congress  all  the 
most  valuable  books  in  every  department  of  arts  and  sciences,  of  which 
there  is  now  such  a  lamentable  deficiency.  With  that  view  your  com- 
mittee propose  an  appropriation  of  ten  thousand  dollars  for  the 
purchase  of  books  and  maps,  independent  of  the  annual  appropriation 
of  one  thousand  dollars  for  the  same  purpose,  which  they  submit  to 
Congress  to  make  perpetual. 

The  Joint  Library  Committee  have  taken  into  their  consideration,  a 
resolution  referred  to  them  by  the  House  of  Representatives  on  the 
15th  of  December  last;  and  upon  the  most  serious  consideration  given 
to  the  subject,  your  committee  do  not  deem  it  necessar}^  to  recommend 
the  allowing  any  additional  compensation  to  the  Librarian  for  services 
performed  since  last  session  of  Congress.  The  Librarian  has  received 
from  the  Treasury  the  sum  of  480  dollars,  which,  according  to  the  law  as 
it  was  at  the  time  of  his  appointment;  and  as  it  is  yet,  by  which  he  is 
entitled  to  two  dollars  per  day  for  every  day's  attendance  at  the  Library, 
computing  the  number  of  days  during  which  he  was  bound  to  attend  at 
the  rate  of  three  days  every  week  during  the  recess  of  Congress,  and 
six  days  every  week  during  the  session,  exceeds  the  sum  to  which  he 
would  be  entitled  by  law  for  his  services  to  this  day. 

By  the  accounts  of  the  expenditures  exhibited,  it  appears  that  the 
mechanical  part  of  the  duties  required  by  law  to  be  performed  by  the 
Librarian,  has  been  actually  performed  by  people  hired  by  the  Librarian, 
and  for  whose  compensation  you  are  now  called  upon  to  make  an  appro- 
priation. The  manner  in  which  the  scientific  part  of  the  duties, 
devolving  upon  the  Librarian,  has  been  fulfilled,  do  not,  in  the  opinion 
of  your  committee,  warrant  the  allowing  of  an  additional  compensation 
which  your  committee  suppose  must  be  interpreted  as  conveying  on  the 
part  of  Congress,  something  like  an  approbation  for  past  conduct. 
The  only  evidence  of  the  literary  services  of  the  Librarian,  within  the 
knowledge  of  your  committee,  is  the  publication  of  the  catalogue  with 
which  we  were  presented  at  the  time  of  the  beginning  of  the  session; 
and  the  merit  of  this  work  is  altogether  due  to  Mr.  Jefferson,  and  not 
to  the  Library  of  Congress.'    =^-     *     * 

'The  ensuing  paragraph,  relating  to  the  catalogue,  has  been  quoted  on  ]x  149. 


ADMINISTRATIVE   MEASURES,  1816.  1 53 

The  committee  have  no  hesitation  in  recommending  to  Congress  to 
increase  the  sum  appropriated  for  the  salary  of  the  L,ibrarian  of  Con- 
gress, and  in  the  bill  which  they  have  the  honor  to  submit  is  to  be 
found  a  section  to  that  effect. 

In  looking  over  the  several  acts  concerning  the  Library  of  Congress, 
your  committee  have  observed,  not  without  astonishment,  that  by  an 
act  passed  the  26th  of  January,  1802,  the  Librarian  of  Congress  was  to 
be  appointed  by  the  President  of  the  United  States  solely.  It  is  diffi- 
cult to  conceive  why  an  officer  of  both  Houses  of  Congress,  as  much  so 
as  the  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  the  Secretary  of  the 
Senate,  are  officers  of  their  respective  Houses,  should  not  be  appointed 
by  the  authority  to  which  he  ought  to  be  amenable.  The  case  might 
happen  that  a  Librarian  should  neglect  his  duties;  are  the  members 
of  Congress  in  that  case  to  complain  to  the  President  of  the  United 
States?  Such  a  thing  need  merely  to  be  mentioned  to  demonstrate  the 
impropriety  of  vesting  the  President  with  the  sole  right  of  making 
so  inconsiderable  an  appointment.  Accordingly  your  committee  have 
deemed  it  their  duty  to  propose,  in  the  bill  which  accompanies  this 
report,  the  repeal  of  so  much  of  the  act  concerning  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress, passed  January  26th,  1802,  as  provides  that  the  Librarian  shall  be 
appointed  by  the  President  of  the  United  States  solely,  and  to  vest, 
in  future,  the  appointment  of  the  Librarian  in  the  Joint  Library  Com- 
mittee. Provided  that,  neither  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate,  nor  the 
Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  nor  any  of  the  clerks  employed 
in  their  offices,  or  any  other  officer  of  either  house  of  Congress,  be 
eligible  to  the  office  of  Librarian. 

On  February  2  the  bill  submitted  with  this  report  was 
debated  in  Committee  of  the  Whole,  amended,  and  on  the 
8th  read  the  third  time  and  passed.' 

Be  it  eyiacted  by  the  Senate  aiid  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  in  Congress  asse^nbled,  That  the  accounting  officers  of 
the  Treasury  be,  and  they  are  hereby,  authorized  and  required  to 
investigate  and  settle  the  accounts  against  the  Library  of  Congress, 
exhibited  by  George  Watterstou,  Daniel  Rapine,  and  William  Elliot; 
and  the  amount  thereof,  which  shall  be  deemed  equitable  shall  be  paid 
out  of  any  moneys  in  the  Treasury  not  otherwise  appropriated. 

vSec  2.  Ajid  be  it  further  enacted,  That  there  shall  be  allowed  the 
Librarian  for  attending  said  Library,  an  annual  salary  of  one  thousand 
dollars,  payable  quarterly  at  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States,  to  com- 
mence and  take  effect  from  and  after  the  twenty-first  day  of  March, 
eighteen  hundred  and  fifteen. "" 

It  was  not  until  the  12th  of  April  that  the  bill  received 
the  attention  of  the  House  of  Representatives.     On  that  day 

"  Annals  29:  104,  106,  126,  127.  'Engrossed  bills,  Senate  files. 


154  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

it  was  considered  in  Committee  of  the  Whole,  and  reported 
with  the  following  amendment:  "Insert  the  following  as  the 
third  section: 

"  Sec.  3.  Ajtd  be  it  further  enacted^  That  the  privilege  of 
using  the  books  in  the  Librar}^  shall  be  extended  to  the 
Attorney-General  of  the  United  States,  and  the  members  of 
the  diplomatic  corps,  on  the  same  terms  and  conditions,  as  it 
is  enjoyed  by  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court." 

2.  Amend  the  title  b}^  inserting  after  the  word  "Congress," 
the  words,  "for  extending  the  privilege  of  using  the  books 
therein.'" 

This  amendment  was  read  and  concurred  in  by  the  House, 
and  on  the  following  day  passed  as  amended.^ 

April  15,  the  Senate  took  up  the  House  amendment,  and 
^'' Resolved^  That  they  concur  therein."^ 

AN  ACT  providing  for  the  settlement  of  certain  accounts  against  the  Library  of 
Congress,  for  extending  the  privilege  of  using  the  books  therein,  and  for  estab- 
lishing the  salary  of  the  Librarian. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  aiid  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  accounting  officers  of 
the  Treasury  be,  and  they  are  hereby,  authorized  and  required  to  inves- 
tigate and  settle  the  accounts  against  the  Library  of  Congress,  exhib- 
ited by  George  Watterston,  Daniel  Rapine,  and  William  Elliot;  and  the 
amount  thereof,  which  shall  be  deemed  equitable,  shall  be  paid  out  of 
any  moneys  in  the  Treasurj-  not  otherwise  appropriated. 

Sec  2.  A?id  be  it  further  ejiacted,  That  there  shall  be  allowed  to  the 
Librarian  for  attending  .said  Library,  an  annual  salary  of  one  thousand 
dollars,  payable  quarterly,  at  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States,  to  com- 
mence and  take  effect  from  and  after  the  twenty-first  day  of  March,  one 
thousand  eight  hundred  and  fifteen. 

Sec.  3.  And  be  it  further  enacted.  That  the  privilege  of  using  the 
books  in  the  Library  shall  be  extended  to  the  Attorney-General  of  the 
United  States  and  the  members  of  the  diplomatic  corps,  on  the  same 
terms  and  conditions  as  it  is  enjoyed  by  the  Judges  of  the  Supreme 
Court. 

Approved,  April  16,  18 16. 

The  committee's  recommendation  regarding  the  settlement 
of  the  deficit  in  the  accounts  of  the  Library  was  thus  adopted, 
but  their  recommendation  that  the  sum  of  $10,000  be  appro- 
priated for  the  purchase  of  books,  in  addition  to  the  annual 
appropriation  of  $1,000  provided  for  by  the  act  of  December 

'  Engrossed  bills.  Senate  files.     'House  Journal,  pp.  641,  646.     sSenate  Journal,  p.  462. 


ADMINISTRATIVE   MEASURES,  1816.  I55 

6,  181 1,  was  not  adopted.  The  bill  appropriating  $2,000  for 
a  law  library,  introduced  by  Senator  Harper  on  tbe  i6tli  of 
February,  also  failed  to  pass.  On  the  20th  it  had  been 
referred  to  a  select  committee  consisting  of  Senators  Talbot, 
Harper,  and  Hunter,  which  on  March  2  liad  reported  the 
bill  with  amendments.  On  the  12th  of  March  it  passed  the 
Senate,  but  in  the  House,  April  29,  it  was  postponed  indef- 
initely. But  the  Library  had  still  to  its  credit  for  the 
purchase  of  books  $3,000  or  $4,000.  This  the  Library 
Committee  at  once  set  to  work  to  spend  in  such  a  manner  as 
to  at  once  enlarge  and  strengthen  the  collection  of  books  in 
the  Library  of  Congress. 

The  following  letter  from  the  chairman  of  the  Library 
Committee,  BHgius  Fromentin,  to  the  Register  of  the  Treas- 
ury, Joseph  Nourse,  asking  for  information,  preceded  the 
action  of  the  committee.  It  is  dated  April  11,  1816,  and 
reads  as  follows: 

The  Library  Committee  having  it  in  contemplation  to  authorize  one 
or  more  of  their  members  to  purchase  books  for  the  use  of  the  lyibrary 
of  Congress,  during  the  recess,  I  am  desirous  to  be  informed  whether  it 
has  formerly  been  the  practice  and  whether  you  deem  yourself  author- 
ized to  pay  any  draft  from  the  chairman  of  the  committee  within  the 
amount  of  money  in  your  hands  for  the  use  of  the  L,ibrary,  during  the 
recess  of  Congress. 

The  Committee  have  bought  books  from  Coale  and  Maxwell,  book- 
sellers in  Baltimore,  to  the  amount  of  three  hundred  and  eleven  dollars 
and  forty-four  cents.  Would  it  be  convenient  to  you  to  send  those 
gentlemen  a  draft  for  the  amount  in  Baltimore  upon  the  authorization  in 
this  letter,  or  is  there  any  particular  form  previously  used,  and  to  which 
you  deem  it  more  proper  to  adhere?  In  that  case,  please  to  give  me  the 
information,  and  send  me  a  blank  form  for  the  regulation  of  my  future 
conduct  in  that  respect. 

The  committee  suppose  that  the  further  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars 
for  the  year  1816,  in  addition  to  the  sum  of  sixteen  hundred  and  odd 
dollars  which  you  informed  them  was  in  your  hands  in  December  last,  is 
now  in  your  hands  at  the  disposal  of  the  committee.' 

In  a  letter  from  J.  G.  Palfrey  to  Jared  Sparks,  dated  Wash- 
ington, September  5,  1816,  Palfrey  says:'  "When  I  was  in 
the  city  of  the  Quakers  Doctor  Priestley's  library  was  exposed 
for  sale  at  Dobson's.     A  committee  of  Congress  had  gleaned 

'Miscellaneous  MSS.,  Library  of  Congress. 
"H.  B.  Adams,  Life  of  Sparks  i:  119. 


156  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

all  the  best  books.     I  bought  a  few,  not  because  they  were 
valuable,  but  because  they  were  Doctor  Priestley's." 

The  following  report  of  the  Library  Committee,  presented 
in  the  Senate  January  6,  181 7,  indicates  with  some  detail 
what  was  accomplished  by  the  committee  during  the  3^ear 
1 816,  and  what  bibliographical  plans  had  been  formed  by 
them  for  the  development  of  the  Library.  The  committee 
reported : 

In  pursuance  of  the  duty  devolving  upon  them,  to  purchase  books  for 
the  Library  of  Congress,  they  have  bought,  during  the  recess,  the  books, 
a  catalogue  of  which,  with  the  prices  and  the  names  of  the  persons  from 
whom  they  were  bought,  is  annexed. 

By  a  reference  to  the  accounts  rendered  by  Joseph  Nourse,  register  of 
the  Treasury,  and  acting  as  agent  of  the  Joint  Library  Committee,  which 
are  annexed  to  (and  the  committee  prays,  may  be  considered  as  part  of) 
this  report,  it  appears  that,  since  the  last  account  rendered  there  was 
paid  at  different  times  by  order  of  the  Joint  Library  Committee,  a  sum 
of  3,074  dollars  9  cents,  leaving  in  the  hands  of  the  agent  of  the  library 
committee,  subject  to  their  order,  an  unexpended  balance  of  1,526  dollars 
61  cents.  The  committee  have  now  under  consideration  several  pro- 
posals which,  when  finally  acted  upon,  shall  have  employed  the  whole 
of  the  appropriation  made  in  181 2. 

The  committee  further  report,  that  they  have  given  direction  for  the 
following  periodical,  both  literary  and  political,  publications,  to  be  regu- 
larly sent  to  the  Library  as  soon  as  published,  to  wit: 

The  Edinburgh  and  Quarterly  Reviews,  republished  in  New  York. 

The  British  Review,  The  Annual  Register,  The  Analytical  Review, 
CobbctVs  Political  Register,  published  in  Great  Britain. 

The  North  American  Review,  published  in  Boston. 

The  Port  Folio,  The  Analectic  Magazine,  Walsh's  American  Register, 
published  in  Philadelphia. 

The  Portico,  The  Weekly  Register,  published  in  Baltimore. 

The  National  Register,  The  Daily  National  Intelligencer,  The  Historical 
Register,  published  in  Washington. 

All  the  above  periodical  works,  now  are  or  will  soon  be  completed, 
from  the  beginning  of  publication  to  the  present  day. 

Of  not  exactly  the  same  character,  but  yet  liable  to  the  same  annual 
expense,  are  the  following  works,  if  it  be  deemed  advisable  to  complete 
the  publications  of  this  description,  which  are  now  deposited  in  the 
Library,  to  wit:  — 

The  Transactions  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society. 

The  Transactions  of  the  Royal  Society  of  London. 

The  Transactions  of  the  Irish  Academy. 


ADMINISTRATIVE  MEASURES,  1817.  1 57 

Bath  Society  Papers. 

Transactions  of  the  Society  of  Arts. 

Memoires  de  TAcaderaie  des  Sciences. 

Memoires  de  I'lnstitut  de  France. 

Delaplaine's  Repository, 

Cobbett's  State  Trials. 

Public  Characters. 

General  catalogues  published  every  year  in  Great  Britain,  in  L,eipsic, 
and  in  Paris;  to  which  may  be  added  works  of  merit  to  be  subscribed 
for  occasionally,  and  which  will  require  a  disposable  fund  to  be  used  on 
the  emergencies  created  by  the  publication  of  such  works,  either  in  this 
country  or  in  Europe. 

In  order  the  better  to  promote  the  views  of  Congress  in  establishing  a 
Congressional  Library,  and  the  more  securely  to  provide  for,  as  far  as 
attainable,  a  proportionately  equal  application  of  the  L,ibrar>'  fund  to 
the  several  branches  of  human  knowledge,  and  thereby  stamp  the 
Congressional  Library  with  that  degree  of  usefulness  contemplated  in  its 
establishment,  the  committee  invite  the  chairmen  of  the  several  com- 
mittees in  both  Houses,  to  furnish  the  Library  Committee  with  a  list  of 
such  books  or  maps,  as  may  be  deemed  by  them  more  particularly  to 
refer  to  the  business  devolving  upon  each  respective  committee. 

The  committee  have,  moreover,  directed  to  be  placed  in  the  Library  a 
box,  where  maj'  be  deposited  by  the  members  of  both  Houses,  the  titles 
of  such  books  as  they  may  be  desirous  to  procure. 

The  collection  of  law  books,  now  in  the  Library,  is  as  valuable  and  as 
complete  as  it  is  possible  to  have  expected  it  to  be,  considering  the  time 
at  which  the  books  were  purchased.  But  the  many  late  publications 
which  have  appeared  since,  both  in  this  country  and  in  Europe,  and  the 
indispensable  necessity  of  laying  open  all  possible  sources  of  the  most 
extensive  information  on  that  head,  have  induced  your  committee  to 
propose  to  Congress,  to  appropriate  a  sum  of  three  thousand  dollars, 
for  the  completion  of  that  particular  department  of  the  Library  of 
Congress. 

The  law  appropriating  one  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  for  the  pur- 
chase of  books  for  the  Library  of  Congress,  has  expired.  The  com- 
mittee beg  leave  to  report  a  bill,  making  a  further  appropriation  of  1,000 
dollars  per  annum,  for  five  j-ears. 

In  revising  the  laws  passed  by  Congress  concerning  the  Library,  the 
committee  observed  that  no  provision  had  ever  been  made,  to  extend  to 
the  heads  of  the  Departments,  the  privilege  of  using  the  books  in  the 
Congress  Library,  on  the  same  terms  on  which  members  of  Congress 
are  permitted  to  use  them.  In  the  bill  making  a  further  appropriation 
for  the  purchase  of  books,  the  committee  have  inserted  a  section  to 
remedy  that  omission. 


158  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

The  bill  accompanying  this  report,  increasing  the  appro- 
priation for  the  purchase  of  books  from  $1,000  to  $1,500  per 
annum,  on  the  9th  of  January  passed  the  Senate,  but  in  the 
House,  on  the  following  day,  it  was  referred  to  a  Committee 
of  the  Whole  and  forgotten.' 

On  the  9th  of  January  a  second  bill  passed  the  Senate 
which  was  of  even  more  significance  than  the  first.  In 
the  Librarian's  communication  to  the  public  through  the 
National  Intelligencer^  September  15,  181 5,  he  had  suggested 
that  the  Library  be  made  a  place  for  the  deposit  of  all 
American  books,  engravings,  etc.  This  idea  was  embodied 
in  the  bill  which  now  passed  the  Senate:  ''That  the  Joint 
Library  Committee  be,  and  they  are  hereby,  authorized  to 
make,  from  time  to  time,  a  selection  of  such  books  as  they 
may  deem  proper  to  have  deposited  in  the  Congressional 
Library,  out  of  the  books  which  by  the  existing  laws  are  to 
be  deposited  by  the  authors  or  publishers  in  the  office  of  the 
Secretary  of  State,  and  are  now  lodged  in  the  Patent  Office.'"" 
This  bill,  too,  failed  to  become  a  law.  The  committee  had 
on  hand  an  unexpended  balance  of  $1,526.61  for  the  pur- 
chase of  books.  That  is  the  only  reason,  apparently,  why 
Congress  failed  to  pass  these  two  bills,  each  of  which  was 
of  great  importance  to  the  development  of  a  national  library. 

DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1817-1824, 

The  authorities  of  the  Library  had  elaborated  magnificent 
plans  for  the  Library  of  Congress  between  the  years  18 15 
and  181 7.  Among  them  were  the  plans  for  a  law  depart- 
ment, a  copyright  department,  and,  above  all  and  embracing 
all,  the  plan  for  a  national  library,  but  these  plans,  like 
those  for  a  Library  building,  came  to  naught. 

Nor  was  the  Library  Committee  much  more  successful 
between  the  years  181 7  and  1824.  On  the  ist  of  Decem- 
ber, 181 7,  Mahlon  Dickerson,  of  New  Jersey,  was  made 
chairman  of  the  committee,  and  remained  in  that  position 
for  the  next  ten  j^ears.  Senator  Dickerson  was  famed  for 
his   love   of   books.     The   Librarian    called   him    a   biblical 

'Annals  30:  49-50,  52,  55,  57,  443,  450. 

■Senate  files.  Engrossed  bills,  Fourteenth  Congress. 


ADMINISTRATIVE  MEASURES,  1817-1824.  159 

cormorant/  and  the  National  Journal  (April  11,  1827)  ^^i^ 
that  it  was  due  to  his  indefatigable  exertions  and  literary 
taste  that  the  additions  made  to  the  Library  during  this 
time  were  at  once  valuable  and  splendid.  Mr.  Joel  Poinsett 
also  took  an  interest  in  the  Library  and  was  a  member  of  the 
Library  Committee  during  the  Seventeenth  and  Eighteenth 
Congresses.  Of  his  services  the  Librarian  said:  "His  taste 
and  judgment  in  the  selection  of  books,  while  acting  for  the 
committee,  were  displayed  in  a  manner  that  pleased  all  who 
were  concerned."  On  a  visit  to  England  Mr.  Poinsett 
secured  for  the  Library,  among  other  valuable  works,  a  set  of 
the  Parliamentar}^  Papers.^ 

The  Library  also  profited  during  this  period  by  the  inter- 
est which  ex-President  Jefferson  continued  to  show  in  it. 
September  i,  1820,  he  wrote  to  the  Librarian:  "Having  lately 
met  with  a  very  full  catalogue  of  books  relating  to  America, 
I  have  supposed  that  it  could  not  be  better  placed  than  in 
3^our  hands  for  the  use  of  the  Library  Committee,  with  whom 
I  presume  it  is  a  primary  object  to  obtain  ever3^hing  of  that 
description.  By  taking  the  trouble  to  mark  on  this  catalogue 
those  you  possess  (which  make  a  great  part  of  those  most 
valuable),  the  unpossessed  will  be  obvious.  I  think,  however, 
that  in  the  catalogue  of  authorities  stated  in  Robertson's 
America  there  must  be  several  important  works  omitted  in 
this,  and  which  I  could  never  get.  A  standing  instruction 
to  the  minister  in  Aladrid  might  in  time  procure  them." 

But  this  knowledge  of  books  was  without  avail  unless 
appropriations  for  the  purchase  of  books  for  the  Library  could 
be  secured,  and  in  securing  these  appropriations  this  com- 
mittee was  hardly  more  successful  after  181 7  than  it  had  been 
before.  In  1818  it  secured  $2,000,  in  1820  $2,000,  in  1821 
and  1822  $1,000,  that  is,  for  the  years  181 7  to  1822,  an 
average  of  $1,000  per  annum,  the  same  sum  which  had  been 
voted  February  21,  1806,  for  a  period  of  five  years,  and  again, 
December  6,  181 1,  for  the  same  period.  It  was  not  until  1823 
that  the  committee  succeeded  in  securing  an  increase  from 
$1,000  to  $2,000  in  the  annual   appropriation.     It  is  to  be 

'The  L Family  at  Washington,  1822,  p.  77;  see  also  Washington  City  Chronicle, 

November  7,  1S29,  and  National  Intelligencer,  December  5,  1834. 
'Washingtoti  City  Chronicle,  November  9,  1829. 


l6o  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

noted  also  that  the  civil-appropriations  act  of  1821  provided 
$1,000  for  the  purchase  of  books  for  the  Library,  compre- 
hending the  statutes  and  the  reports  of  the  decisions  of  the 
courts  of  law  and  chancery  of  the  different  States^  with  the 
latest  maps  of  the  several  States  and  Territories.  This  was 
the  condition  upon  which  the  appropriation  was  made  at  all. 
There  was  only  one  other  legislative  measure  affecting 
the  interests  of  the  Library  during  this  period,  but  that  too 
came  to  nothing.  On  the  30th  of  April,  1822,  Mr.  Lincoln 
submitted  in  the  House  of  Representatives  the  following 
resolution : ' 

Resolved,  That  the  President  of  the  United  States  be  requested  to 
cause  to  be  deposited  in  the  Library  of  Congress  the  originals  or  copies 
of  all  such  reports,  memoirs,  or  documents,  not  heretofore  published,  as 
have  been  made  by  public  ofl&cers,  Indian  agents,  private  individuals,  or 
exploring  parties,  to  the  executive  department  of  the  Government; 
together  with  any  maps,  drawings,  or  charts,  or  copies  of  the  same, 
which  in  his  opinion  it  may  be  consistent  with  the  public  service  to  have 
there  deposited. 

The  resolution  was  ordered  to  lie  on  the  table. 

The  results  of  the  activity  of  the  Library  Committee  dur- 
ing this  time  are  all  shown  in  the  two  little  catalogues  of  1820 
and  1825,  ^^  ^^^^  ^  quarto  of  28  pages,  the  second  an  octavo 
of  40  pages.  As  we  have  pointed  out  in  the  preceding 
section,  the  period  from  1815  to  1824  was  the  garret  period 
in  the  history  of  the  Library. 

DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1824-1829. 

Until  1825  the  question  of  a  room  for  the  Library  had  been 
uppermost.  Before  the  War  it  had  been  kept  in  a  committee 
room;  from  i8i5to  i8i8it  had  been  kept  in  the  attic  story 
of  the  Post-Office  building;  from  1818  to  1824  it  had  been 
kept  in  the  attic  story  of  the  Senate  wing  of  the  Capitol. 
In  1824,  however,  the  completion  of  the  library  room  dreamed 
of  by  the  Library  Committee  for  ten  years  made  possible  the 
realization  of  some  of  its  other  dreams. 

The  completion  of  the  library  room,  together  with  the  gift 
of  the  Royal  library  to  the  British  people,  led  the  National 
Intelligencer  (August   28,    1823)   ^^  say,   under  the  caption 

'Annals  39:   1743. 


ADMINISTRATIVE   MEASURES,  1824-1829.  161 

"National  Library:"  "We  wish  we  could  promise  ourselves 
to  see  the  daj^  when  the  Library  of  Congress  should  be  more 
than  half  filled  with  books  of  acknowledged  excellence,  in 
every  branch  of  science,  and  collected  from  every  country. 
We  should  like  it,  also,  to  be  something  more  national  and 
truly  literary  in  its  arrangements  and  objects  than  it  has 
hitherto  been.  *  *  *  w/'e  do  hope  that  Congress  will 
make  such  regulations  for  the  increase  and  utility  of  this 
noble  institution  as  will  contribute  greatl}^  to  the  improve- 
ment of  our  country,  the  satisfaction  of  literary  men  of 
leisure  who  reside  near  the  seat  of  Government,  and  will 
increase  our  respectability  in  this  respect  in  the  eyes  of 
foreign  nations.  It  is  obvious  that  a  certain  frivolous  class 
of  books  may  and  ought  to  be  excluded;  but  there  should  be 
no  work  of  high  character  and  unquestionable  utility  pub- 
lished in  any  part  of  the  world  which  ought  not,  in  time,  to 
find  its  way  into  the  National  Library  of  the  United  States." 
On  the  2ist  of  January,  1824,  M^-  Poinsett,  from  the  Joint 
Library  Committee,  reported  the  following  resolution  in  the 
House  of  Representatives:  ^''  Resolved^  That  the  Committee  of 
Ways  and  Means  be  instructed  to  inquire  into  the  expediency 
of  appropriating  five  thousand  dollars  for  the  use  of  the 
Library  of  Congress; "  and  on  the  question  to  agree  to  the 
resolution,  it  passed  in  the  affirmative.  In  accordance  with 
these  instructions,  on  the  24th  of  February  Mr.  McLane,  of 
Delaware,  from  the  Committee  on  Ways  and  Means,  made 
the  following  report:^ 

That  they  find  upon  inquiry  that  the  sum  which  it  has  been  usual  to 
appropriate  annually  for  the  use  of  the  Library  is  little  more  than  suffi- 
cient to  purchase  laws,  reports  of  cases,  periodical  publications,  and  such 
works  as  the  Library  Committee  are  annually  under  the  necessity  of 
purchasing.  The  balance  is  so  small  as,  generally,  to  confine  the  pur- 
chase merely  to  works  of  the  day,  and  if,  on  anj-  occasion,  the  commit- 
tee are  enabled  to  purchase  a  standard  work,  the  cost  is  augmented 
nearly  100  per  cent  by  the  duties  on  importation  and  the  profits  of  the 
bookseller. 

By  their  own  observation,  as  well  as  by  a  reference  to  the  gentlemen 
charged  with  the  particular  superintendence  over  this  subject,  the  com- 

'  Eighteenth  Congress,  first  session,  House  report  No.  69. 
23399—04 II 


l62  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

mittee  have  discovered  the  Library  of  Congress,  in  its  present  state,  to 
be  defective  in  all  the  principal  branches  of  literature;  and  they  deem  it 
of  the  first  necessity  that  this  deficiency  should  be  speedily  supplied,  at 
least  in  the  important  branches  of  law,  politics,  commerce,  history,  and 
geography,  as  most  useful  to  the  members  of  Congress. 

It  is  believed,  also,  that  most  of  the  works  which  are  now  required 
for  the  foregoing  purposes  are  not  published  in  the  United  States,  and 
that  for  this  reason,  as  for  motives  of  economy,  it  is  deemed  advisable 
to  make  the  purchases  in  Europe;  but  this  can  not  be  effected  without 
an  appropriation  considerably  larger  than  that  annually  given. 

It  is  known  to  the  committee  that  a  drawback  to  a  considerable 
amount  is  allowed  on  the  exportation  of  books  from  England,  of  which 
the  Librarj^  Committee  could  avail  themselves  in  their  purchases,  and  a 
discount  of  25  per  cent  is  allowed  by  all  the  booksellers  in  London,  on 
the  catalogue  prices,  where  purchases  to  any  considerable  amount  are 
made;  and  it  is  believed  a  saving  of  more  than  50  per  cent  may  be 
effected  by  importing  books  from  Europe.  A  much  larger  saving 
might  be  made  on  French  books;  but  the  committee  are  of  opinion  that 
it  would  be  better  to  purchase  English  books  and  English  translations 
of  foreign  books  in  all  cases  where  such  translations  have  been  made. 
Thej^  would  propose  only  to  import  such  standard  works  in  foreign 
languages  as  have  not  been  translated,  and  of  those  only  such  as  can 
not  be  dispensed  with. 

When  the  committee  consider  not  only  the  utility,  but  the  absolute 
necessity  of  an  extensive  and  judiciously  selected  library  for  the  use  of 
Congress;  when  they  reflect  upon  its  advantages,  for  the  purposes  as 
well  of  amusement  as  instruction,  they  are  persuaded  that  it  can  not  be 
too  early  supplied  with  all  the  important  standard  works  in  every 
department.  Nor  can  they  perceive  any  well-founded  objection  to  an 
appropriation  for  this  object  of  a  sum  very  little  exceeding  the  amount 
which  individual  taste  and  liberality  often  annually  bestow  upon  private 
selections. 

The  committee  believe  that  the  defects  in  the  present  library  can  not 
be  supplied  for  a  less  sum  than  $5,000,  which,  in  their  opinion,  may  be 
afforded  without  inconvenience  to  the  public  resources;  and  they  there- 
fore report  a  bill. 

This  bill  was  read  twice  and  committed  to  a  Committee  of 
the  Whole.  May  22  the  bill  was  taken  up  in  Committee  of 
the  Whole,  amended,  reported  to  the  House,  read  the  third 
time,  and  passed.' 

The  same  day  a  message  from  the  House  informed  the 
Senate  that  the  House  had  passed  a  bill  entitled  "An  act 

'Annals  41:  1627;  42:  2695-2696. 


ADMINISTRATIVE   MEASURES,  1824-1829.  163 

making  an  appropriation  for  the  use  of  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress, and  for  furnishing  rooms  in  the  Capitol ; "  on  the  24th 
it  was  referred  to  the  Joint  Library  Committee,  on  the  25th 
reported  and  considered  in  Committee  of  the  Whole,  and  on 
the  26th  passed.' 

AN  ACT  making  an  appropriation  for  the  use  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  and  for 
furnishing  rooms  in  the  Capitol. 

Be  it  enacted,  &c.,  That  the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars  be,  and  the 
same  is  hereby,  appropriated,  out  of  any  unappropriated  money  in  the 
Treasury,  for  the  purchase  of  books,  under  the  direction  of  the  Joint 
Library  Committee,  for  the  use  of  the  Library  of  Congress. 

Sbc.  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  sum  of  fifteen  hundred 
and  forty-six  dollars  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby,  appropriated,  out  of 
any  unappropriated  money  in  the  Treasury,  for  the  purchase  of  furni- 
ture for  the  new  library. 

Sec.  3.  And  be  it  fjirther  enacted,  That  the  sum  of  three  thousand 
two  hundred  and  eighty-nine  dollars  and  fifty  cents  be,  and  the  same  is 
hereby,  appropriated,  to  be  paid  out  of  any  money  in  the  Treasury,  not 
otherwise  appropriated,  for  furnishing  the  rooms  in  the  centre  building 
of  the  Capitol,  under  the  direction  of  the  Commissioners  of  the  Public 
Buildings. 

Approved,  May  26,  1824. 

In  1826  the  sum  of  $5,000  was  appropriated  for  the 
purchase  of  books,  in  1827,  $3,000,  and  in  1828,  $5,000. 

Another  result  of  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  Ways 
and  Means  was  the  passage  of  the  law  of  February  11,  1825, 
a  measure  of  similar,  though  perhaps  not  equal  importance 
to  the  law  of  May  26,  1824. 

AN  ACT  to  remit  the  duties  on  books,  maps,  and  charts  imported  for  the  use  of  the 

Library  of  Congress. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  Uyiited 
States  of  America,  in  Congress  assembled.  That  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  be,  and  he  hereby  is,  directed  to  remit  all  duties  upon  such 
books,  maps,  and  charts,  as  have  been,  during  the  present  year,  or 
hereafter  may  be,  imported  into  the  United  States,  by  the  authority  of 
the  Joint  Library  Committee  of  Congress,  for  the  use  of  the  L,ibrary 
of  Congress. 

Approved,  February  n,  1825. 

'Annals  41:  773,  776,  782,  786,  789. 


l64  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

These  legislative  measures  made  it  possible  for  the  com- 
mittee to  enlarge  the  Library  very  considerably  before  1830/ 
In  1 8 19  and  1820  there  had  been  expended  for  books 
$4,038.14;  in  1821,  $53.75;  in  1822,  $1,985.19;  in  1823, 
$1,324.48;  in  1824,  $2,796.74;  in  1825,  $464.37;  in  1S26, 
$173;  in  1827,  $2,592.46;  in  1828,  $1,035.71;  in  1829, 
$3,863.30,  in  all,  $18,327.14.  The  most  extensive  purchases 
were  made  from  Pishey  Thompson,  a  local  bookseller,  Carey 
&  Co.,  Philadelphia  booksellers,  and  J.  Bastburn  &  Co., 
New  York  booksellers.  The  record  of  the  accessions  to  the 
Library  which  resulted  from  these  purchases  is  contained  for 
the  most  part  in  the  catalogues  of  1827  ^nd  1828,  octavos  of 
109  and  16  pages,  respectively. 

The  purchases  were  made  as  in  former  years  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Library  Committee  of  which  Bdward  Everett, 
appointed  December  6,  1825,  was  now  the  most  active  mem- 
ber. Senator  Dickerson's  taste  had  been  more  scientific  than 
literary,  and  the  books  which  he  had  purchased  had  there- 
fore been  of  a  scientific  character.  Mr.  Everett's  taste,  on 
the  other  hand,  was  more  literary  than  scientific,  and  he  at 
once  began  to  supply  the  deficiencies  in  the  Library  which 
had  escaped  the  notice  of  the  Library  administration  before 
his  appointment.  On  the  i6th  of  October,  1826,^  he  wrote  to 
Librarian  Watterston,  "Please  inform  me  (if  possible  by 
return  of  mail),  whether  the  Library  of  Congress  possesses 
the  following  works:  The  Congressional  Register,  by  Thomas 
Lloyd,  8°,  3  volumes  (being  a  register  of  the  debates  in  the 
House  of  Representatives  of  the  First  Congress);  the  Collec- 
tions of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  8°,  10  vol- 
umes, old  series;  10  volumes,  new  series;  i  volume  third 
series  (I  see  a  work  in  the  catalogue.  Chapter  IV,  No.  27, 
which  may  be  one  volume  of  the  preceding),"  etc. 

On  the  29th  of  October  he  wrote,  "I  beg  leave  to  trouble 
you  with  another  list  of  books,  most  of  which  I  suppose  not 

'  There  is  an  account  of  these  expenditures  in  the  report  of  the  Library  Committee, 
May  16,  1826,  Nineteenth  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  report  No.  98;  in  the  report 
of  the  Library  Committee,  May  17,  1828,  Twentieth  Congress,  first  session.  Senate 
report  No.  198;  and  in  the  report  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate,  December  10, 
1835,  Twenty-fourth  Congress,  first  session.  Senate  report  No.  11. 

»  lVashinglo7i  City  Chronicle,  November  7,  1829. 


^^^^^Zi^.'^^        /l-^^OU-       y^  i^^\y^^  /A^J,*-^^         Ur£*~y  U^.^-^^         C^^  Ot.'A.^^^  ^''x^/:^<.  ^  (0> 


FACSIMILK  OF  I.KTTKK   I-ROM   KDWAkl)  nvKKlsTT 
To  IJBkAKIAN   WATTlsRSTON. 


History  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  vol.  i,  plate  12. 


SERVICES   OF  EDWARD   EVERETT,  1825-1829.  165 

to  be  iu  the  Library  of  Congress.  Being,  however,  uncertain, 
from  the  causes  intimated  in  my  last,  I  will  trouble  you  to 
make  a  mark  against  such  as  are  already  in  the  Library  and 
return  me  the  catalogue." 

On  the  31st  he  wrote:  "Silliman's  Journal  I  have  ordered 
up  to  the  present  time;  it  is  an  excellent  work.  Besides,  I 
think,  American  works  (though  not  excellent),  ought  to  be  in 
the  Library  to  furnish,  I  trust,  to  after  times  the  means  of 
proving  the  ratio  of  advancement. 

"You  will  oblige  me  much  if  you  have  any  memorandums 
on  hand  of  works  wanted,  by  furnishing  me  \vith  them.  I 
intend  to  propose  to  the  other  gentlemen  of  the  Library  Com- 
mittee (provided  I  shall  happen  to  be  of  the  Library  Commit- 
tee at  the  next  session)  that  it  be  a  part  of  your  trust  as 
Librarian  to  prepare  and  keep  on  hand  a  catalogue  of  books 
most  wanted  in  every  department,  to  which  new  books  could 
be  added  as  they  appear.  In  no  other  way  can  the  appropri- 
ations be  expended  to  the  best  advantage.  It  will  also  be 
desirable  that  somewhere  there  be  an  authority  to  sell  imper- 
fect or  duplicate  sets  and  inferior  works,  and,  in  short,  any 
books  which  may  by  accident  have  found  their  way  into  the 
Library  and  which  are  not  wanted  there." 

He  also  wrote  to  Joseph  Story  regarding  the  law  collection. 
Judge  Story  replied,  November  4,  1826:'  "I  entirely  agree 
with  you  respecting  the  civil-law  books  to  be  placed  in  the 
Congress  Librar}\  It  would  be  a  sad  dishonor  of  a  national 
library  not  to  contain  the  works  of  Cujacius,  Vinnius, 
Heineccius,  Brissonius,  Voet,"  etc.  They  are  often  useful  for 
reference,  and  sometimes  indispensable  for  a  common  lawyer. 
How  could  one  be  sure  of  some  nice  doctrines  in  the  civil  law 
of  Louisiana  without  possessing  and  consulting  them?  What 
is  to  become  of  the  laws  of  Florida  without  them?  " 

On  the  23d  of  May,  1828,  he  wrote  Librarian  Watterston 
on  the  same  subject:^  "I  take  this  way  of  reminding  you 
that  it  is  the  wish  of  the  Committee  of  the  Library  that  you 
should  have  completed  the  laws  and  law  reports  of  each  State, 
also  the  periodical  works  of  which  the  numbers  hitherto  pub- 

'  Story's  Life  aud  letters  i:  496.  ^Watterstou  MSS. 


1 66  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

lished  are  in  the  Librar}^,  particular!}^  the  Annual  Register 
and  the  Parliamentar}-  Debates.  I  enclose  you  a  note  from 
^Ir.  Wickliffe  on  the  subject  of  law  books  from  Kentucky, 
and  I  would  suggest  that  application  by  letter  to  some  mem- 
ber of  Congress  in  each  State  learned  in  the  law,  would 
enable  you  to  effect  the  object.  P.  S.  Would  it  not  be  well 
to  make  a  little  interest  with  the  Senators  for  an  appropria- 
tion bill." 

Of  the  activity  of  Kdward  Bverett  as  a  member  of  the 
Library  Committee  there  were  also  notices  in  the  records  of 
Congress  and  in  the  columns  of  the  metropolitan  newspapers. 
On  the  24th  of  Februar}^,  1827,  Mr.  Bverett,  from  the  Com- 
mittee on  the  Library,  who  were  instructed  by  a  resolution 
of  the  House  of  the  14th  of  the  previous  December  to  inquire 
into  the  expediency  of  adopting  measures  to  procure  from 
the  different  public  offices  in  England  copies  of  such  papers 
and  documents  as  might  be  of  value  in  relation  to  the  his- 
tory of  America,  reported: ' 

That  the  United  States  of  America  in  general  and  the  several  States 
that  compose  the  Union  enjoy  an  advantage  possessed  bj'-  no  people  of 
the  ancient  world,  that  their  entire  political  duration  falls  within  the 
period  of  authentic  history.  Whatever  advantageous  influence  on 
national  character  or  gratifying  effect  on  national  feeling  can  result 
from  authentic  details  of  the  discovery,  the  first  settlement,  and  early 
progress  of  our  beloved  country  ma)'  consequently  be  realized  by  us 
in  a  higher  degree  than  by  any  other  community,  excepting  those  on 
the  American  Continent  similarly  situated,  in  this  respect,  with  our- 
selves. The  only  circumstance  which  diminishes  and  qualifies  this 
advantage  is  the  fact  that  the  most  important  sources  of  our  early  his- 
tory are  deposited  in  the  archives  of  foreign  governments,  over  which, 
of  course,  the  United  States  have  no  control.  Most  of  the  documents 
illustrating  the  early  history  of  nearly  all  the  United  States  are  deposited 
in  the  various  public  offices  at  lyondon,  and  it  has  long  been  the  wish  of 
such  of  our  citizens  as  have  devoted  themselves  to  the  study  of  the  early 
history  of  the  country  that  measures  might  be  adopted  to  procure  from 
those  offices,  by  permission  of  the  British  Government,  copies  of  such 
documents  so  interesting  to  the  American  people. 

In  one  or  two  cases,  on  special  application,  this  has  already  been  done. 
Copies  of  documents  relative  to  the  early  history  of  North  Carolina  and 

'Nineteenth  Congress,  second  session,  House  report  No.  91. 


SERVICES  OF  EDWARD   EVERETT,  1825-1829.  167 

Georgia  have  beeu  procured  from  the  pubHc  offices  in  London;  and 
permission  has  lately  been  given  by  the  principal  secretary  of  state  for 
foreign  affairs,  in  London,  to  take  copies  of  any  documents  contained  in 
an  ample  list  of  papers  relative  to  the  historj^  of  Georgia.  The  subject 
has  excited  considerable  interest  in  different  parts  of  the  country.  The 
governor  of  Georgia  has  made  it  the  subject  of  a  special  message  to  the 
legislature  of  that  State.  The  governor  of  New  York,  in  a  late  message, 
has  alluded  to  it  as  a  matter  of  interest  and  importance.  The  assembly 
and  senate  of  Rhode  Island  have  adopted  resolutions  requesting  that 
provision  be  made  by  Congress  to  effect  the  object;  and  the  Massachu- 
setts Historical  Society  and  the  American  Antiquarian  Society  have  taken 
measures  to  bring  it  under  the  consideration  of  Congress.  The  resolu- 
tion of  the  legislature  of  Rhode  Island,  the  memorial  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Historical  Society,  and  the  doings  of  the  American  Antiquarian 
Society  have  been  referred  to  this  committee  and  have  received  their 
respectful  consideration. 

Regarding  the  object  as  one  of  public  interest,  and  feeling  a  confidence 
that  the  liberal  consent  given  by  the  British  Government  in  reference  to 
the  Georgia  documents  would  not  be  withheld  in  regard  to  the  docu- 
ments illustrating  the  early  history  of  the  other  United  States,  the  com- 
mittee deem  it  highly  desirable  that  the  proper  measures  be  taken  to 
this  end,  and  therefore  report  the  following  resolution: 

Resolved,  That,  in  the  opinion  of  this  House,  it  is  expedient  that 
proper  measures  be  adopted,  at  the  discretion  of  the  President,  to  pro- 
cure from  the  pubHc  offices,  in  England,  copies  of  documents  illustrative 
of  the  history  of  America;  the  expense  of  the  same  to  be  defrayed  out 
of  the  contingent  fund  for  foreign  intercourse. 

On  the  27th  of  December,  1827,  M^"-  Everett,  from  tlie 
Committee  on  the  Library,  submitted  a  list  of  manuscripts 
and  printed  books  relating  to  America  in  the  possession  of 
Obadiah  Rich,  esq.,  consul  of  the  United  States  at  Valencia, 
dated  Madrid,  September  28,  1827,  among  which  was  the 
manuscript  "Indice  de  la  coleccion  de  manuscritos,  pertene- 
cientes  a  la  Historia  de  Indias,  que  escribio  Don  Juan 
Bautista  Mufioz  y  a  su  muerte  se  han  hallado  en  su  libreria, 
fo.,  pages  120,"  with  this  note:  ''This  catalogue  of  the  manu- 
scripts collected  by  Munoz  is  curious  as  showing  how  rich 
this  country  [Spain]  is  in  unpublished  documents  relating  to 
the  history  of  America.  All  those  of  most  importance  are  in 
my  collection,  and  several  which  were  unkno\^^l  to  Mufioz.'" 

•Twentieth  Congress,  first  session,  House  report  No.  37. 


1 68  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

No  step  seems  to  have  been  taken  to  acquire  this  valuable 
collection  and  eventually  it  was  secured  by  Mr.  Lenox.' 

An  attempt  to  secure  another  and  less  important  collection 
was  more  fortunate.  Of  this  the  New  York  Evening  Post 
(quoted  by  the  National  Journal^  January  31,  1829)  said: 

We  learn  that  Professor  Everett,  acting  ofi&cially  as  one  of  the 
Library  Committee  of  Congress,  has  purchased  about  $500  worth  of  the 
rarest  and  most  valuable  books  in  Signor  Dupontes's  collection. 

We  are  informed  that  one  of  our  members  from  New  York,  whose 
love  of  all  that  is  valuable  in  learning  attends  him,  even  in  the  midst  of 
party  dissensions,  presented  the  catalogue  and  suggested  the  idea  of  the 
purchase.  We  hardly  know  which  deserves  the  most  praise,  the  good 
taste  which  selected  these  inestimable  books  for  the  Library  of  the 
Capitol  or  the  interesting  enthusiasm  which  prompted  this  venerable 
savant  to  risk,  with  extremely  limited  means,  the  importation  of  a  col- 
lection which,  we  reluctantly  confess,  New  York  has  not  been  able  to 
appreciate.  As  a  proof  that  we  have  not  overrated  the  works  we  will 
simply  mention  to  the  initiated  that  it  contains  a  vellum  edition  of 
Muratori's  Rerum  italicarum  scriptores  in  39  volumes  folio;  the  Padman 
edition  of  Forcellini's  Lexicon  totius  latinitatis;  the  entire  works  of 
Visconti;  the  extremely  rare  Voyages  of  Marco  Polo  and  other  cele- 
brated navigators,  by  Ramusio,  and  a  splendid  edition  of  Dante,  in  4 
volumes  folio,  with  illustrative  designs,  which  from  their  majesty  and 
simplicity  are  sufficiently  characterized  by  being  pronounced  as  worthy 
as  they  are  explanatory  of  the  author. 

COLLECTIONS  AND  DEPARTMENTS  IN  1829. 

The  result  of  these  legislative  appropriations  and  of  the 
activity  of  the  Library  Committee  was  that  by  1829  ^^^ 
Library  of  Congress  was  raised  to  the  fourth  place  ^  among 
the  libraries  of  the  country. 

Of  these  libraries  Harvard  was  the  largest  and  contained 
the  best  and  most  extensive  collection  of  books  relating  to 
America — it  possessed,  indeed,  the  best  collection  of  Ameri- 
cana in  the  world.  The  next  best,  according  to  Jared 
Sparks,'  was  the  collection  at  Gottingen.     Of  the  collection 

'William  C.  Lane  and  C.  K.  Bolton,  Notes  on  special  collections  in  American 
libraries,  p.  46. 

"Harvard  had  between  30,000  and  40,000  volumes,  Philadelphia  about  34,000,  and 
St.  Mary's  College,  Baltimore,  about  10,000.  Yale,  Princeton,  and  Bowdoin  had 
between  8,000  and  8,500  volumes  each. 

3H.  B.  Adams,  Life  of  Sparks,  1:462;  2:85. 


BOOKS   AND    MANUSCRIPTS,  1 829.  169 

in  the  Library  of  Congress  he  wrote  May  18,  1826:  "On 
American  history  the  Library  is  exceedingly  meager,  con- 
taining nothing  but  a  few  of  the  commonest  books,  but  on 
American  politics  it  is  full,  particularly  to  the  year  1808, 
when  Mr.  Jefferson  left  the  Government.  It  was  his  habit 
to  preserve  pamphlets  and  papers,  and  the}^  are  all  deposited 
in  this  Library."  The  poet  Henry  Cogswell  Knight,'  look- 
ing at  the  collection  from  another  point  of  view,  spoke  of  an 
undue  proportion  of  antiquated  editions  and  of  works  in 
French  and  other  foreign  languages,  of  little  use  to  members 
of  Congress.  Still  a  third  critic,  that  interesting  eccentric, 
Anne  Royall,  took  Librarian  Watterston  to  task  for  permit- 
ting the  books  of  the  Sunday  School  Union  to  be  placed  in 
the  Library  of  Congress,  and  said:  "These  Sunda}^  school 
books  are  lying  useless  in  the  Librar}-,  as  I  suppose  no 
member  of  Congress  reads  them.  Let  Mr.  Watterston  sell 
them  and  give  the  amount  to  the  suffering  poor,  if  he  is  so 
pious."  ^ 

These  criticisms  are  not  altogether  fair  indications  of  the 
character  of  the  Library  at  this  time.  Indeed,  any  general 
criticism  of  the  collections  in  the  possession  of  the  Library 
would  be  either  incomplete  and  misleading  or  as  detailed  and 
comprehensive  as  the  catalogues  of  the  Library  themselves. 
Of  the  general  criticisms,  however,  that  made  by  Mrs. 
Trollope  was,  perhaps,  as  fair  as  an3^  She  said  of  the 
Library  that  it  was  very  like  that  of  a  private  English  gentle- 
man, but  with  less  Latin,  Greek,  and  Italian.^ 

Of  the  special  collections  in  the  possession  of  the  Library 
at  the  close  of  the  Watterston  administration,  the  collection 
of  manuscripts  was  the  least  considerable.  Mr.  Lincoln's 
resolution  of  the  30th  of  April,  1822,  providing  for  the  deposit 
in  the  Library  of  Congress  of  all  the  manuscript  records 
of  the  Government,  failed  to  pass.  Mr.  Everett's  resolu- 
tion of  the  24th  of  February,  1827,  providing  that  copies  of 
all  papers  in  the  archives  of  Great  Britain  relating  to  the 
history  of  the  American  colonies  be  secured  and  placed  in 

'  IvCtters  from  the  south  and  west,  by  Arthur  Singleton  (pseud.) ,  Boston,  1824,  p.  54. 

*  Black  book,  3:  210. 

3 Domestic  manners  of  the  Americans,  London,  1832,  i:  326. 


lyo  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

the  Library  of  Congress,  also  failed  to  pass.  Only  one  manu- 
script, indeed,  was  secured  during  this  period  which  seemed 
to  the  contemporary  chronicler  worthy  of  notice.  This 
manuscript  was  described  as  follows : 

"There  is  among  the  treasures  of  the  Library  of  Congress 
an  illuminated  manuscript  of  considerable  antiquity  and  of 
unquestionable  beauty.  Its  date  is  1591;  the  material  is 
parchment,  the  characters  are  German,  and  the  illumination 
is,  for  its  size,  splendid.  The  work  is  a  Catholic  missal  or 
breviary,  in  Latin  and  French,  but  though  admirably  exe- 
cuted with  the  pen  it  is  rather  difficult  to  read,  from  the 
peculiarity  of  the  characters.  It  contains,  moreover,  some 
illustrations  which  are  badly  drawn  and  executed,  but  the 
specimens  of  illumination  are  very  rich  and  beautiful.'" 
This  from  the  popular  point  of  view. 

From  the  scholar's  standpoint,  however,  the  Virginia 
records  acquired  in  the  early  part  of  1829  were  far  more  valu- 
able. With  the  Jefferson  collection  the  Library  had  secured 
in  18 1 5  the  manuscript  laws  of  Virginia  used  bj^  Hening.^ 
At  the  sale  of  the  second  Jefferson  collection  in  1829,  ^^^ 
Library  secured  four  volumes  of  the  records  of  the  colony  of 
Virginia  and  two  volumes  of  the  records  of  the  Virginia 
Company.^ 

The  history  of  the  latter  is  given  in  a  letter  written  by  Jef- 
ferson to  Hugh  P.  Taylor,  esq.,  October  4,  1825:  ''The  only 
manuscripts  I  now  possess  relating  to  the  antiquities  of  our 
countr}'^,"  he  says,  "  are  some  folio  volumes;  two  of  these  are 
the  Proceedings  of  the  Virginia  Company  in  England;  the 
remaining  four  are  of  the  Records  of  the  Council  of  Virginia 
from  1622  to  1700.  The  account  of  the  first  two  volumes  you 
will  see  in  the  preface  to  Stith's  History  of  Virginia.  They 
contain  the  records  of  the  Virginia  Company,  copied  from  the 
originals  under  the  eye,  if  I  recollect  rightly,  of  the  Earl  of 
Southampton,  a  member  of  the  company;  bought  at  the  sale 

'  Washington  City  Chronicle  August  22,  1829. 

"See  Catalogue  of  the  Library,  1815,  pp.  73-74.  These  were  not  received  until 
some  years  later.     See  p.  178. 

3 See  Catalogue  President  Jefferson's  library,  1829,  p.  4,  and  Catalogue  of  the 
Library  of  Congress,  1830,  p.  167. 


MANUSCRIPTS   AND    LAW,  1829.  I?! 

of  his  librar}^  by  Dr.  Byrd,  of  Westover,  and  sold  with  that 
library  to  Isaac  Zane.  These  volumes  happened  at  the  time 
of  the  sale  to  have  been  borrowed  by  Col.  R.  Bland,  whose 
library  I  purchased,  and  with  this  they  were  sent  to  me.  I 
gave  notice  of  it  to  Mr.  Zane,  but  he  never  reclaimed  them. 
*  *  ■•'  The  other  four  volumes,  I  am  confident,  are  the 
original  office  records  of  the  council.  My  conjectures  are, 
that  when  Sir  John  Randolph  was  about  to  begin  the  History 
of  Virginia  which  he  meant  to  write,  he  borrowed  these  vol- 
umes from  the  council  office  to  collect  fron  them  materials 
for  his  work,  and  the}^  remained  in  his  library,  probably 
unobserved,  during  the  whole  life  of  the  late  Peyton  Ran- 
dolph, his  son.  From  his  executor  I  purchased  his  library, 
in  a  lump,  and  these  volumes  were  sent  to  me  as  a  part  of  it. 
I  found  the  leaves  so  rotten  as  often  to  crumble  into  dust 
on  being  handled;  I  bound  them,  therefore,  together,  that 
they  might  not  be  unnecessarily  opened,  and  have  thus  pre- 
served them  forty-seven  years."'     '='•     '='     '^' 

The  law  collection  was  somewhat  better  off.  The  civil- 
appropriations  act  of  1 82 1  provided  $1,000  for  the  purchase 
of  books  for  the  Library,  comprehending  the  statutes  and  the 
reports  of  the  decisions  of  the  courts  of  law  and  chancery  of 
the  different  States,  with  the  latest  maps  of  the  several  States 
and  Territories.  Mr.  Everett's  letter  to  the  Librarian,  dated 
May  23,  1828,  also  showed  that  the  Library  administration 
was  anxious  to  complete  the  collection  of  laws  and  law  reports 
of  the  several  States.  And  on  the  24th  of  January,  1829,  °^ 
motion  of  Air.  Blake,  the  House  of  Representatives  ^^ Resolved^ 
That  the  Committee  on  the  Library  be  instructed  to  inquire 
into  the  expedienc}'  of  providing  more  effectual  means  of 
obtaining  copies  of  the  laws  of  the  several  States  as  they  are 

^ National  Intelligencer,  October  19,  1825;  Jefferson's  writings  (1854),  7:  312. 

The  discussion  regarding  the  Virginia  Company's  records,  begun  by  Hugh  Blair 
Grigsby  in  the  Southern  Literary  Messenger,  in  February',  1854,  was  continued  by 
J.  Wingate  Thornton  in  the  Historical  Magazine,  February,  1S58;  by  William 
Green  in  the  Southern  Literary  3lessenger,  September,  1863;  by  Justin  Winsor  in 
his  Narrative  and  critical  history  of  America  (1S85),  3:  158;  by  Alexander  Brown 
in  the  Magazine  of  American  History,  April,  1893,  and  by  President  Lyon  G.  Tyler 
in  the  Report  of  the  American  Historical  Association  for  1901,  vol.  i,  pp.  545-550. 


172  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

annually  enacted."     Accordingl}^  the  committee  reported,  by 
Mr.  Everett,  February  12,  1829,  ^^  follows: 

The  importance  of  having  within  the  reach  of  the  members  of  Con- 
gress copies  of  the  laws  of  the  several  States  need  not  be  enforced.  The 
means  hitherto  adopted  of  procuring  them  have  been  but  partially- 
effectual.  By  a  resolution  of  Congress  approved  23d  Sept.,  1789,  it 
was  made  ' '  the  duty  of  the  Secretary  of  State  to  procure  from  time  to 
time  such  of  the  statutes  of  the  several  States  as  may  not  be  in  his 
oflSce."  The  committee  are  not  apprised  what  particular  mode  was 
resorted  to  for  the  discharge  of  this  duty  till  a  comparatively  recent 
period.  On  the  4th  Nov.,  1819,  a  circular  letter  was  addressed  to  the 
district  attorneys  of  the  several  States  and  Territories  by  the  Secretary 
of  State,  requesting  them  to  purchase  and  forward  to  the  Department  of 
State  copies  of  such  editions  and  sets  of  the  laws  as  were  not  already 
deposited  there.  On  the  4th  of  Dec,  1819,  a  circular  letter  was 
addressed  to  the  governors  of  the  several  States  by  the  Secretary  of 
State,  requesting  a  copy  of  the  statutes  of  each  State,  respectively,  as 
published  from  year  to  year.  It  was  also  stated  in  this  circular  letter 
that,  by  a  standing  order  of  the  legislature  of  Massachusetts,  four  copies 
of  the  laws  of  that  Commonwealth  are  regularly  transmitted  to  the  seat 
of  the  General  Government,  one  for  the  use  of  each  of  the  two  Houses  of 
Congress,  one  for  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  one  for  the 
Library  of  Congress,  and  recommending  the  adoption  of  a  similar  order 
by  the  other  States. 

The  committee  are  not  informed  what  success  attended  this  applica- 
tion. They  learn  from  the  Librarian  of  Congress  that  the  statutes  of  the 
States  of  Massachusetts  and  Delaware  only  have  been  regularly  received 
at  the  Library  since  18 16,  and  that  a  few  years  ago  Hon.  Mahlon 
Dickerson,  chairman  of  the  Joint  Library  Committee,  was  requested  by 
that  committee  to  address  a  letter  to  the  governors  of  the  several  States, 
desiring  them  to  furnish  the  Library  annually  with  copies  of  their  laws; 
but  that  this  request  had  been  complied  with  by  but  few  of  the  States, 
and  not  regularly  by  them. 

The  committee  consider  it  as  very  desirable  that  a  prompt  and  regular 
supply  of  the  laws  of  the  several  States  should  be  made  to  the  Public 
Library.  Some  of  the  reasons  which  exist  for  furnishing  the  acts  of 
the  National  Legislature  to  the  several  States  make  it  desirable  that 
those  of  the  several  States  should  be  accessible  at  the  seat  of  the  General 
Government;  and  these  reasons,  no  doubt,  led  to  the  adoption  at  a 
very  early  period  of  the  resolution  which  made  it  the  duty  of  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  to  procure  the  laws  of  the  several  States. 

The  want  of  authority  in  the  General  Government  to  direct  any  of  the 
State  functionaries  to  furnish  the  laws  of  the  States,  and  the  circum- 
stance that  these  laws  are  not,  it  is  believed,  usually  published  for  sale, 


LAW   AND   DOCUMENTS,  1829.  1 73 

and  consequently  are  not  to  be  procured  in  the  ordinary  way  of  pur- 
chase, have  probably  been  the  causes  which  have  prevented  a  regular 
supply  of  the  laws  of  the  several  States.  The  committee,  however, 
feel  no  doubt  that,  whenever  the  subject  shall  be  brought  before  the 
legislatures  of  the  States  by  Congress  they  will  cheerfully  cooperate 
in  effecting  an  object  mutually  important  to  the  General  and  State 
governments. 

The  General  Government  furnishes  annually  to  the  several  States  a 
very  large  number  of  copies  of  its  acts,  as  appears  from  a  statement 
accompanying  this  report.  It  is  not  necessary  that  many  copies  of  the 
acts  of  the  States  should  be  deposited  here,  but  it  is  believed  by  the  com- 
mittee that  a  number  somewhat  larger  than  has  hitherto  been  furnished 
would  be  of  essential  utility.  Thej^  accordingly  report  a  joint  resolu- 
tion, requesting  the  gov^ernors  of  the  several  States  to  recommend  to  the 
legislatures  thereof  the  adoption  of  a  standing  order,  providing  for  the 
furnishing  of  six  copies  of  their  acts  annually — one  for  the  use  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  one  for  each  House  of  Congress,  and 
three  for  the  Library  of  Congress.' 

This  resolution  was  not  acted  upon. 

The  resolution  submitted  by  Mr.  Wickcliffe  in  the  House 
of  Representatives  February  24,  1826,  and  again  February 
19,  1828,  ^''Resolved,  That  the  Committee  on  the  Library  be 
instructed  to  inquire  into  the  expediency  of  separating  the 
law  books  from  the  other  books  of  the  Library  and  placing 
them  under  the  control  of  the  Supreme  Court,"  ^  also  failed  to 
pass. 

The  collection  of  public  documents  was  the  largest  of  the 
collections  in  the  Librar}-.  The  whole  ^vestem  gallery  of 
the  Librar}^  room  was  occupied  by  them — "an  a-wful  pile," 
the  Telegraph^  said,  25  feet  high  and  100  long.  The  eastern 
gallery  was  occupied  b}-  the  duplicate  collections  of  United 
States  Statutes,  Pitkin's  Statistics,  etc. 

Another  part  of  the  collection  of  documents  was  noticed  by 
the  editor  of  the  Colonial  Advocate^  who  said,  "I  perceive  they 
have  got  British  copies  of  a  great  many  reports  of  committees 
of  the  House  of  Commons,  some  of  them  well  thumbed,  too." 
Mr.  Watterston,  then  editor  of  the  Washington  City  Chronicle^ 
copied  this  notice  in  his  issue  for  November  9,  1829,  ^vith  the 

'Twentieth  Congress,  second  session.  House  report  No.  77. 
•Journal  of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
3  December  19,  1828. 


174  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

following  comment :  "The  reports  of  the  British  Parliament 
are  not  so  well  thumbed  as  he  supposes,  or  as  they  ought  to 
be  by  the  American  legislators.  These  volumes  of  reports 
contain  an  immense  mass  of  political  information,  and  are  the 
result  of  the  wisdom  and  research  of  the  legislators  of  Great 
Britain,  which  can  not  be  too  accurately  or  frequently  exam- 
ined by  those  who  have  been  delegated  to  make  laws  for  their 
countr}^  On  roads,  canals,  education,  currency,  the  Army, 
Navy,  etc.,  these  reports  are  full,  minute,  and  able,  and  deserve 
the  most  serious  attention  of  the  members  of  our  National 
Legislature.  We  are  sorry  to  say,  however,  that  there  are 
but  few  who  have  as  yet  discovered  their  value.  They  have 
been  more  thumbed  by  some  of  the  Departments  of  the  Gov- 
ernment than  by  those  for  whose  use  they  were  obtained. 

"Rich  as  this  collection  is  in  rare,  valuable,  and  splendid 
works,  it  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  one-fourth  of  the  members 
never  avail  themselves  of  its  literary  treasures.  The  laborers 
in  this  vineyard  are  few  compared  with  the  number  who  have 
the  privilege  of  drawing  from  it,  and  whose  parliamentary 
duties  require  that  they  should  furnish  themselves  with  at 
least  some  of  the  information  it  contains." 

This  department  of  the  Library  was  still  charged  with  the 
duties  which  have  since  been  delegated  to  the  document  rooms 
of  the  two  Houses  and  the  Superintendent  of  Documents. 
The  following  resolution  relating  to  the  collection  of  docu- 
ments deposited  in  the  Library  has,  therefore,  a  two-fold 
interest: 

RESOLUTION  Providing  for  the  distribution  of  certain  public  docunieuts,  and  the 
removal  of  certain  books  from  the  library. 

Resolved  by  the  Seriate  and  the  House  of  Represe?itatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  of  the  pubHc  documents, 
and  other  works,  of  which  several  copies  are  deposited  in  the  Library  of 
Congress,  a  portion  be  distributed  in  the  following  manner; 

First,  of  the  return  of  the  last  census,  and  of  the  Digest  of  Manufac- 
tures, and  of  Gales  and  Seaton's  Register  of  Debates,  and  of  Watterston's 
and  Van  Zandt's  Statistical  Tables,  one  copy  to  each  member  of  the  pres- 
ent Congress,  and  to  each  new  member  of  each  succeeding  Congress,  till 
all  the  copies  shall  be  distributed,  with  the  exception  of  twentj'-five  of 
each  work,  which  shall  be  reserved  in  the  Library;  and  the  Librarian  of 
Congress  is  hereby  authorized  and  directed  to  deliver  to  each  member,  as 
aforesaid,  the  copies  of  the  said  documents  to  which  he  is  hereby  entitled. 


THE   COLLECTION   OF    DOCUMENTS,  1829.  1 75 

Secondly,  of  the  Journals  of  the  Federal  Convention,  of  the  Secret 
Journals  of  the  Old  Congress,  of  Pitkin's  Statistics,  and  of  Seybert's 
Statistical  Annals,  one  copy  to  the  public  librarj'^  of  the  legislature  of 
each  State  in  the  Union,  and  one  copj^  each  to  such  universities  and  col- 
leges as  may  not  already  have  received  them,  and  one  copy  to  one 
incorporated  Atheneum  in  each  State:  Provided,  There  remain  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  the  said  works  beyond  what  are  needed  for  the  use  of 
the  lyibrary. 

Thirdly,  to  the  United  States  Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  one 
set  of  all  the  works  of  which  copies  have  been  distributed  to  the  univer- 
sities and  colleges;  Provided,  There  remain  any  copies  of  the  same 
deposited  in  the  Library  of  Congress,  beyond  the  number  reserved  for 
the  said  Library. 

Fourthly,  that,  of  the  three  hundred  copies  of  the  laws  now  ordered 
to  be  deposited  in  the  Library  of  Congress,  fifty  copies  be  furnished  to 
the  librar)^  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  in  addition  to  the  fifty  copies 
already  ordered  for  the  said  Library;  and  that  the  clerk  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  be,  and  he  hereby  is,  authorized  to  receive  the  same. 

Fifthly,  that  of  the  journals,  documents,  and  reports,  heretofore 
ordered  to  be  printed  by  the  Senate,  and  of  which  copies  are  deposited 
in  the  Library  of  Congress,  and  of  the  journals,  documents,  and  reports, 
which  may  hereafter  be  ordered  to  be  printed  by  the  Senate,  five  sets  be 
furnished  for  the  House  of  Representatives;  and  that  the  Clerk  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  be,  and  he  hereby  is,  authorized  to  receive  the 
same. 

II.  A7id  be  itficrther  resolved,  That  the  clerk  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives be,  and  he  hereby  is,  authorized  and  directed  to  deliver  to  the 
Department  of  State,  properly  prepared  for  transmission,  by  mail  or 
otherwise,  the  copies  of  the  books  mentioned  in  the  second  and  third 
paragraphs  of  the  foregoing  resolution. 

III.  A7id  be  it  further  resolved,  That,  instead  of  the  twenty-five  sets 
of  the  journals,  executive  papers,  reports  of  committees,  and  other  docu- 
ments of  Congress,  authorized  by  law  to  be  placed  in  the  Library  of 
Congress,  ten  sets  only,  well  bound,  shall  hereafter  be  deposited,  in  the 
said  Library. 

IV.  A7id  be  it  further  resolved,  That  the  Joint  Library  Committee  be, 
and  hereby  are,  authorized  to  remove  from  the  Library  of  Congress,  and 
dispose  of  in  such  manner  as  they  may  think  expedient,  any  duplicate, 
imperfect,  damaged,  or  other  work  or  works,  not  wanted  for  the  use  of 
the  Library. 

Approved,  May  24,  1828.' 

How  this  resolution  was  carried  into  execution  is  made 
partially  evident  by  the  following  letter  from  Mr.  Watterston 

'Statutes  at  Large  4:  321;  also  act  of  February  5,  1S59,  Statutes  n:  381. 


176  DEVELOPMENT  OF   THE  LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

to  the  chairman  of  the  Library  Committee,  dated  February, 
1830.  The  letter  is  also  of  considerable  interest  for  the 
light  which  it  throws  on  the  Watterston  administration  and 
on  the  conditions  created  by  the  removal  of  the  Librarian 
from  office  in  1829,  ^  subject  which  we  shall  dwell  upon  at 
length  in  another  chapter.     It  is  as  follows: 

February,  1830. 
Sir:  In  compliance  with  the  request  expressed  in  the  resolution  of  the 
Joint  Library  Committee,  I  send  you  the  explanation  desired.  The  list 
and  resolution  were  not  received  until  the  4th  instant,  and  I  have  since 
been  so  much  engaged  that  I  have  not  been  at  leisure  to  attend  to  it 
before.  The  books  marked  thus  \/  on  the  list  furnished,  and  contained 
in  the  accompanying  paper,  marked  (A),  were  selected  by  me  two 
winters  ago  at  the  request  of  the  committee,  to  be  disposed  of  agree- 
ably to  a  resolution  of  Congress.  These  consisted  of  old  editions, 
duplicates,  and  imperfect  sets,  a  list  of  which  was  furnished  to  Governor 
Dickerson  and  Mr.  Everett,  and  the  books  were  left  in  charge  of  the  pres- 
ent keeper  of  the  Library.  They  were  in  the  reading  room  at  the  period 
of  my  removal,  and  shown  to  him  at  that  time,  and  the  reason  of  their 
being  there  explained.  What  has  since  become  of  them  it  is  not  for  me 
to  say.  Some  of  those,  however,  were  distributed  by  the  committee  in 
compliance  with  the  resolution  to  which  I  have  referred,  which  may  be 
seen  in  paper  marked  (P),  and  some  delivered  to  the  Clerk  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  (see  paper  marked  C).  The  books  contained  in  paper 
marked  (D)  were  taken  out  by  the  members  to  whose  names  the}^  are 
aflBxed  and  7iot  returned.  The  committee  will  understand  that  it  is 
made  the  duty  of  the  Librarian,  by  a  rule  of  the  institution  placed  under 
his  charge  (rule  18),  to  report  to  the  Speaker  of  the  House  and  the 
Secretary  of  the  Senate  the  names  of  such  members  as  have  failed  to 
return  the  books  borrowed  by  them,  and  the  presiding  officers  of  the 
two  Houses  are  empowered  to  remit  or  enforce  the  penalt3\  This  report 
was  made  by  me  regularlj'  every  session,  for  during  every  session  while 
I  held  this  office  several  books  were  taken  out  and  not  returned,  and  in 
very  few  instances  was  the  penalt}^  enforced.  It  will  be  seen  that  as 
soon  as  the  matter  is  laid  before  the  President  of  the  Senate  and 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  all  obligation  on  the  part  of 
the  Librarian  ceases,  and  that  he  is  not  longer  held  answerable  for  the 
books  thus  lost  or  removed.  It  may  be  proper  to  observe  that  I  have 
on  several  occasions  suggested  to  those  gentlemen  the  propriety-  of 
enforcing  the  rule,  to  prevent  the  Librar}^  from  sustaining  a  serious 
injury  by  frequent  losses;  but  they  were  unattended  to,  and  I  have  often 
been  censured  by  those  whose  negligence  I  had  wished  to  correct.  As 
one  of  my  receipt  books  is  not  in  my  possession,  there  may  be  some 


REPORT    OF    LIBRARIAN   UPON    COLLECTIONS.  1 77 

members  charged  whose  names  are  not  given.  Being,  in  consequence 
of  my  report  to  the  presiding  officers,  discharged  from  all  obligations,  I 
preserved  no  list  of  the  defaulters,  and  am  indebted  for  the  information 
now  furnished  to  the  records  which  I  took  the  precaution  to  bring  with 
me.  The  books  contained  in  paper  (E)  are  supposed  to  have  been  pur- 
loined or,  at  least,  taken  out  without  my  knowledge.  It  may  not  be 
improper  to  remark  that  for  twelve  years  I  acted  as  Librarian  alone, 
had  no  assistant  and  but  one  servant;  that  I  superintended  the  first 
removal  of  the  Library  to  the  post-office;  had  all  the  books  labeled 
inside  and  out,  the  labels  of  which  I  prepared  with  ni}-  own  hand;  that 
a  few  years  after  I  superintended  its  removal  to  the  north  wing  of  the 
Capitol,  and  thence  again  to  the  apartment  it  now  occupies. 

In  consequence  of  these  frequent  removals  and  the  free  ingress  of 
strangers  of  all  classes  it  must  be  a  matter  of  surprise  that  more  books 
were  not  purloined  than  appear  to  have  been.  This  ma,y  be  attributed 
to  the  constant  and  unremitting  attention  I  found  it  necessar>-  to  exer- 
cise when  I  acted  alone;  but  being  often  called  upon  to  aid  the  members 
in  their  researches  and  examination  of  books,  the  other  part  of  the 
Library  was  necessarily  left  unattended  and  possibh'  some  volumes  may 
thus  have  been  withdrawn  without  my  knowledge.  But  in  no  librar}- 
in  this  country  or  in  Europe,  except  when  the  books  are  chained  to  the 
shelves,  is  there  an  instance  of  smaller  loss  in  this  waj'  than  in  the 
Library-  of  Congress  while  under  my  care.  For  these,  if  Congress 
require  it,  I  will  pay  whatever  they  may  be  valued  at.  With  this, 
however,  the  committee  are,  I  presume,  aware  that  they  have  no  con- 
cern as  their  duties  are  confined  (unless  otherwise  directed)  exclusively 
to  the  purchase  of  books,  maps,  etc. 

The  paper  marked  (F)  contains  the  list  of  the  books  which  were 
left  in  the  libraries  at  the  time  I  delivered  it  up  to  the  order  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States.  This  fact  is  established  by  the  certificate 
of  Mr.  Stelle,  my  late  assistant,  and  leave  it  to  the  committee  to  say 
what  must  be  the  feelings  of  the  man  who  can  thus  trump  up  a  state- 
ment which  he  knows  to  be  erroneous  and  which  he  has  no  doubt  made 
from  an  impression  that  it  would  never  reach  my  ears.  He  may  have 
been  misled  b}'  the  practice,  which  has  lately  prevailed  in  a  higher  sphere, 
of  shooting  the  poisoned  arrows  in  the  dark  and  leaving  the  victim  to 
suffer  without  his  knowledge  by  whom  it  w^as  discharged.  It  would  seem 
that  he  had  mistaken  his  man.  It  appears  he  has  charged  as  missing  the 
very  books  he  knew  to  be  in  the  Library  and  has  put  down  others,  a  list 
of  which  was  left  with  him  at  the  period  of  my  removal.  This  must  be 
ascribed  either  to  malignity  or  ignorance  or  may  possibly  originate  from 
a  requisition  to  justify  an  act  of  usurpation  by  misrepresentation  and 
falsehood. 

The  resolution  which  authorized  the  committee  to  withdraw  the  books 
which  he  has  charged  as  missing,  likewise  authorized  the  distribution  of 
23399—04 12 


178  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

all  the  copies  of  the  State  papers,  journals,  etc.,  above  a  certain  number 
and  which  encumbered  the  shelves  of  the  Librar3^  These  were  put  up 
in  boxes  and  are  now  in  the  circular  room  above  the  small  Rotunda  in 
the  north  wing.  A  list  of  them  was  left  with  the  keeper  of  the  Library, 
and  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  has  another.  The  paper  marked  (G)  con- 
tains a  list  of  books  which  were  never  received.  The  following  extract 
of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Jefferson  to  me,  dated  Ma}-  7th,  18 15,  will  account 
for  some  of  them:  "  I  gave  to  Mr.  Milligan  a  note  of  those  folio  volumes 
of  the  Laws  of  Virginia  belonging  to  the  Library  which,  being  in  known 
hands,  will  be  recovered.  One  is  a  manuscript  volume  from  which  a 
printed  copy  is  now  preparing  for  publication."  Some,  too,  he  has 
marked  as  missing  that  were  never  obtained,  as  the  2nd  and  3rd  volumes 
of  Hamilton's  works  (see  Paper  H),  and  some  he  has  not  given  that 
were  taken  out  and  not  returned  or  given  by  the  committee  (see  Paper  I). 

In  relation  to  those  books  which  are  set  down  as  missing  and  not  on 
the  catalogue,  it  is  only  necessary  to  remark  that  it  is  a  mistake.  In  label- 
ling a  large  number  of  volumes  i  or  2  letters  have  occasionally  been 
omitted  by  mistake.  For  example,  in  labelling  number  4  with  the  addi- 
tional letter  a  or  b,  I  have  sometimes  omitted  it  in  consequence  of  the 
number  of  volumes  of  the  same  number  and  letter,  though  in  a  different 
chapter,  and  hence  has  originated  the  apparent  deficiency.  The  manu- 
script catalogue  of  the  Library  was  given  to  me  by  Mr.  Jefferson,  if  I 
could  save  it  from  the  printer.  It  was  of  no  use  to  him  or  the  Library, 
and  I  therefore  claim  it  as  my  property. 

I  tender  my  thanks  to  the  committee  for  thus  affording  me  an  oppor- 
tunity to  account  for  the  books  charged  as  missing  by  the  keeper  of  the 
Library,  and  beg  them  to  do  me  the  favour  to  preserve  these  papers  to 
prevent  the  necessity  of  future  explanation. 

George  Watterston.' 

The  Hon.  A.  Robbins,  C.  J.  L.  C. 

THE   LIBRARY    STAFF    AND   SERVICE. 

On  the  2 1  St  of  March,  18 15,  Mr.  Watterston  became  the 
Librarian  at  a  salar}^  of  $2  per  diem  for  every  da}^  of  neces- 
sary attendance.  By  the  act  of  April  16,  1816,  the  office  of 
Librarian  was  raised  from  the  rank  of  that  of  da}^  laborer  and 
his  salar}^  fixed  at  $1,000  per  annum,  payable  quarterly  at 
the  Treasury  of  the  United  States,  to  commence  and  take 
effect  from  and  after  the  21st  of  March,  181 5,  and  on  the  i8th 
of  April,  181 8,  this  salary  \vas  raised  to  $1,500.  This  enabled 
the  occupant  of  the  office  to  devote  all  his  time  to  the  duties 
of  the  office,  bibliographical  and  clerical,  and  out  of  the  con- 

•  Watterston  MSS. 


LIBRARY   STAFF   AND   SERVICE,   1815-1829.  1 79 

tingent  fund  he  hired   a  servant  at  a  dollar   a  day  to  act  as 
messenger  during  the  days  the  Librar}'^  was  kept  open/ 

In  1823  there  seems  to  have  been  some  talk  of  Mr.  Wat- 
terston  resigning  the  office  of  Librarian,  and  on  the  19th  of 
December  Jefferson  wrote  to  President  Monroe  regarding  the 
expected  vacancy:  "]\Ir.  Girardin,  President  of  the  College  of 
Baltimore,  understanding  that  the  office  of  Librarian  of  Con- 
gress is  expected  to  become  vacant  b}^  resignation  and  desir- 
ous of  being  placed  in  it,  has  requested  me  to  state  to  you 
what  I  know  of  his  qualifications.  He  lived  at  Milton  in  this 
neighborhood  two  or  three  years,  while  writing  his  History  of 
Virginia,  and  during  that  time  was  in  great  intercourse  and 
intimacy  with  myself.  I  willingly,  therefore,  bear  witness  to 
the  truths  concerning  him  which  are  within  my  knowledge. 
He  is  a  scholar  of  high  grade,  industrious,  methodical,  careful, 
of  correct  morals  and  conduct,  and  particularly  proficient  in 
bibliographical  knowledge,  an  important  qualification  in  that 
office.  I  have  thought  it  a  duty  to  bear  witness  to  what  I 
know  of  him  in  these  respects,  and  that  I  render  a  service 
even  to  yourself  by  enabling  you  to  judge  between  him  and 
other  competitors  for  the  appointment,  and  to  give  it  to  the 
worthiest,  as  I  know  is  your  first  wish.  Accept  the  assurance 
of  my  constant  and  high  esteem  and  respect."'  Nothing, 
however,  came  of  this,  and  no  change  was  made  in  the  Library 
staff  until  1827. 

On  February  16  of  that  year  Mr.  Cook,  from  the  Com- 
mittee on  Ways  and  Means,  reported  a  bill  in  the  House  of 
Representatives  recommending  an  allowance  for  an  assist- 
ant librarian,  which  was  committed  to  the  Committee  of  the 
Whole.  On  the  23d  it  was  reported  with  amendments  and 
on  the  24th  passed.^ 

In  the  Senate  this  bill  was,  on  the  26th,  referred  to  the 
Library  Committee,  on  the  27th  reported  with  an  amend- 
ment, on  March  2  considered  in  Committee  of  the  Whole, 
further  amended,  and  passed.'^ 

^  Globe,  October  29,  1844,  and  National  Intelligencer,  November  2,  1844. 
"Jefferson  MSS.,  series  2,  vol.  58,  No.  119. 
3 House  Journal,  pp.  304,  327,  329. 
^Senate  Journal,  pp.  220,  226,  232,  276. 


l8o  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

On  the  same  day  these  amendments  were  agreed  to  in  the 
House'  and  the  bill  passed,  providing  $400  as  compensation 
to  the  assistant  employed  by  the  Librarian  of  Congress  dur- 
ing that  session  of  Congress.  The  act  of  May  24,  1828, 
made  the  office  of  assistant  librarian  permanent  b}'  author- 
izing the  Librarian  to  employ  an  assistant  at  a  salary  of 
$800,  commencing  March  4,  1827,  ^^^  ^^^-  ^'  ^-  Stelle,  who 
had  already  served  in  the  Library,  first  without  pay  and 
then  for  a  compensation  of  $400,  was  appointed  to  the 
position. 

The  Librarian  during  this  period  superintended  the  removal 
of  the  Library  three  times — first,  the  removal  to  the  Post- 
Office  building;  second,  that  to  the  north  wing  of  the  Capitol, 
and  third,  that  to  the  west  center  of  the  Capitol.  He  kept  a 
book  recording  "  Books  received  since  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson's library,"  and  "Books,  maps,  etc.,  presented  to  the 
Library  of  Congress,"  the  latter  received  apparently  in  con- 
sequence of  his  card  published  in  the  National  Bitelligencer 
September  15,  181 5.  This  record,  however,  does  not  seem 
to  have  been  preserved  longer  than  September,  181 6.  Its 
place  was  taken  by  the  catalogues  of  additions  to  the  Library, 
supplements  to  the  general  catalogue  of  181 5,  of  which  four 
were  issued,  in  the  years  1820,  1825,  1827,  ^^^  1828,  respec- 
tively, numbering  in  all  184  pages.  The  Librarian  had  also 
to  classify  the  Library  and  to  label  the  books. 

Then,  from  first  to  last,  came  the  direct  service  to  the  reader. 
Of  this  Librarian  Watterston  wrote  in  the  third  person,  as 
follows:  "His  knowledge  of  books  and  the  extent  of  his  read- 
ing and  attainments  were  such  that  it  was  thought  by  those 
who  visited  the  Library,  he  was  acquainted  with  the  contents 
of  every  volume  in  it.  He  discharged  all  its  duties  for 
years  alone  and  gave  universal  satisfaction."  These  autobio- 
graphical reflections  do  not  appear  to  have  been  published, 
but  some  less  personal  remarks  on  the  office  of  Librarian, 
also,  without  doubt,  written  by  Watterston  and  in  the  same 
vein,  appeared  in  the  Washington  City  Chronicle  July  11, 
1829,  just  after  his  removal  from  office.  The}^  were  as 
follows : 

'House  Journal,  p.  370. 


LIBRARY  STAFF  AND   SERVICE,  1815-1829.  181 

"Custom  has  rendered  it  necessary  for  the  Librarian,  when 
called  upon  by  members,  to  furnish  such  information  as  they 
may  require,  and  which  can  be  obtained  in  the  Library.  The 
mere  knowledge  of  the  location  of  a  book  is  but  small  part  of 
his  duty.  He  is  frequently  called  upon  for  facts,  dates,  pas- 
sages, acts,  official  communications,  and  even  lines  of  poetry; 
and  to  do  this  requires  memory  and  reading.  The  Librarian, 
too,  must  have  a  knowledge  of  bibliography,  and  be  able  to 
point  out  the  best  and  rarest  editions,  as  well  as  to  furnish 
lists  of  books  to  the  committee.  For  the  useful  discharge  of 
these  duties  it  will  be  seen  that  none  could  immediately,  and 
very  few  after  an  apprenticeship  of  several  years,  be  properly 
qualified." 

The  President  and  Vice-President  of  the  United  States, 
members  of  Congress,  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  a 
few  other  privileged  persons  might  borrow  books  from  the 
Library,  and  of  the  issue  and  return  of  these  borrowed 
books  it  was  the  duty  of  the  Librarian  to  keep  a  record.  A 
facsimile  of  a  page  of  this  record,  which  is  still  preserved  in 
three  great  folio  volumes,  is  here  presented.  This  record 
was  of  first-rate  importance  in  the  execution  of  those  rules  of 
the  Library  which  provided  that  a  folio  should  be  returned 
within  three  weeks,  a  quarto  within  two,  and  an  octavo  or 
duodecimo  within  one  week.  The  violation  of  these  rules 
was  punishable  by  fines — "for  a  folio,  20  cents  per  day  for 
each  day  of  the  first  week's  illegal  detention  and  40  cents 
for  each  succeeding  da}^  thereafter;  for  a  quarto,  10  cents  per 
day  for  each  day  of  the  first  week's  illegal  detention  and  20 
cents  for  each  succeeding  da}^  thereafter;  for  an  octavo,  5 
cents  per  day  for  each  day  of  the  first  week's  illegal  deten- 
tion and  10  cents  for  each  succeeding  day  thereafter;  pro- 
vided, that  if  the  book  illegally  detained  be  returned  the  fine 
or  penalt}'  shall  in  no  case  exceed  the  value  thereof."  ^  But 
this  penal  system,  being  enforced  only  occasional!}^,  was  insuf- 
ficient to  prevent  violations  of  the  law,  so  that  it  was  neces- 

'  Additional  rules  and  regulations  for  the  government  of  the  Library  of  the 
UnitedaStates.  Signed  by  John  Gaillard,  President  of  the  Senate  pro  tempore;  H. 
Clay,  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  ist  January,  1816.  Jonathan  Elliot, 
printer,  1816.     Broadside. 


1 82  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

sary  for  the  Librarian  not  only  to  issue  books  but  also  to  go 
after  them  and  solicit  their  return.  Of  this  part  of  the  work 
of  the  Librarian  some  amusing  illustrations  have  been  pre- 
served among  the  Watterston  Papers.  One  of  these,  a  letter 
from  Sam  Houston,  dated  Nashville,  July  27,  1824,  reads  as 
follows: 

A  few  days  since  I  received  5'our  letter  in  relation  to  the  books  which 
I  drew  from  the  Librarj-.  I  instructed  William  Brown,  a  free  man, 
who  waited  on  the  mess  at  Mrs.  Claxton's,  to  take  care  of  all  things 
which  I  might  leave  at  my  room.  I  left  a  trunk  of  clothes  and  some 
other  articles,  with  them  the  books  referred  to,  to  the  best  of  my  recollec- 
tion. I  had  purchased  a  quantity  of  books  at  auction  during  the  ses- 
sion, and  the  morning  I  left  the  city  directed  a  boy  to  take  them  in  a 
hack  to  Poor's  auction  room  and  have  them  packed  and  sent  to  Balti- 
more, but  I  am  satisfied  those  books  were  not  with  them. 

My  impression  is  that  William  Brown  has  them  in  his  care;  if  not, 
they  were  left  in  my  room,  and  a  boy  by  the  name  of  Nace  can  tell 
where  they  are.  At  one  time  I  did  intend  to  send  them  to  Mr.  Rapin's, 
but  I  did  not  send  them  there,  in  my  opinion. 

Employ  some  person  to  go  and  bring  William  Brown  to  you,  and  I 
will  pay  the  expense  of  any  trouble  you  may  be  at.  If  you  can  see 
Brown,  he  is  perfectly  honest,  and  will  take  great  care  to  have  the  books 
forthcoming.  If  he  has  not  got  them,  tell  him  that  I  am  satisfied  they 
were  left  in  my  room  and  he  will  have  them  hunted  up.  Enquire  at 
Messrs.  Poor's,  for  they  were  to  keep  an  invoice  of  all  the  books  sent 
to  me. 

The  books  must  and  shall  be  forthcoming,  and,  if  you  please,  write 
to  me  soon. 

Truly,  thy  friend,  Sam  Houston.' 

Another,  a  letter  from  Watterston  to  Daniel  Brent,  chief 
clerk  in  the  Department  of  State,  dated  June  2,  181 8,  sheds 
still  further  light  on  the  system  of  loaning  books  from  the 
Library  as  it  was  at  this  period.  It  reads:  "I  lent  you  a 
book  some  time  before  the  commencement  of  last  session, 
and,  though  I  have  written  to  the  Secretary  for  it  twice, 
have  not  yet  received  it.  I  hold  you  accountable  to  me  for 
it,  as  I  am  individually  accountable  to  the  Government,  it 
having  been  kept  without  authority  and  under  the  impression 
it  would  be  returned  when  required.  I  did  not  suppose  it 
would  have  been  so  difficult  to  procure  it.'" 

•Watterston  MSS. 

"Departnieut  of  State,  Miscellaueous  letters,  vol.  63. 


1,  npwl   bj  «h»  Rnlw  I  o(  lilt  Lib™r,  i-r  »cl.  dnj  •  J.ui.iiu..  l«j,.n.l  <lu  l.iu.i.  J  lui. . 


-J 


;-.rr,-iSi^  3.^    _ 


Jrfi^ 


"'liA''' -         '-7,''' 


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JP) 


PRIVILEGES   OF  THE   LIBRARY.  1 83 

In  the  Nalional  Intelligcnwr  April  28,  182 1,  the  Librarian 
advertised  the  loss  of  a  manuscript  in  the  handwriting  of 
Thomas  Jefferson,  entitled  "Bacon's  Rebellion." 

For  the  performance  of  these  various  duties — recording 
accessions,  cataloguing  books,  classifying,  numbering,  and 
labeling  them,  answering  the  questions  of  readers,  and  regis- 
tering the  issues  of  books  to  readers — the  Library  was  kept 
open  from  9  o'clock  until  3  and  from  5  o'clock  until  7  three 
times  a  week  during  the  recess  for  the  purpose  of  airing  and 
receiving,  labeling,  and  arranging  such  books  as  might  be 
purchased  by  the  Joint  Library  Committee,  and  every  da}^  in 
the  week,  except  Sunday,  from  9  o'clock  until  the  adjourn- 
ment of  Congress,  during  the  sessions  of  Congress. 

PRIVILEGES   OF   THE    LIBRARY. 

The  privileges  of  the  Library  were  in  18 10  extended  to  the 
agent  of  the  Library  Committee,  and  in  18 12  to  the  Judges  of 
the  Supreme  Court.  By  the  act  of  April  16,  18 16,  they  were 
extended  to  the  Attomej^-General  and  to  the  members  of  the 
Diplomatic  Corps  also.  But  further  attempts  in  this  direction 
during  this  period  were  in  vain.  January  9,  181 7,'  a  bill 
passed  the  Senate  extending  those  privileges  to  the  heads  of 
Departments,  and  to  the  Chaplains  of  Congress,  but  got  no 
further.  February  15,  1819,  Mr.  Fromentin  submitted  to  the 
Senate  the  following  motion  for  consideration:  ^'' Resolved^ 
That  the  Librar}^  Committee  be  instructed  to  inquire  into  the 
propriety  of  further  extending  the  privilege  of  using  the  books 
in  the  Library  of  Congress."  February  16  the  Senate 
resumed  the  consideration  of  Mr.  Fromentin's  motion  and 
agreed  thereto.  March  i,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Dickerson,  the 
Library  Committee  were  discharged  from  the  further  con- 
sideration of  the  question.^  On  the  27th  of  April,  1820,  Mr. 
Storrs  submitted  the  following  resolution  in  the  House  of 
Representatives : 

Resolved,  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States 
of  America  in  Congress  assembled.  That  the  President  of  the  Senate  and 
the  vSpeaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  for  the  time  being,  be,  and 

'  Senate  files,  Fourteenth  Congress,  Engrossed  bills. 
"Annals  33:  232,  236,  276. 


184  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1815-1829. 

they  are  hereby,  authorized  to  grant  the  use  of  the  books  in  the  Library 
of  Congress,  during  the  recess  of  its  sessions,  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Senate  and  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States, 
on  the  terras,  and  under  the  rules,  regulations,  restrictions,  and  penalties, 
that  members  of  Congress  are  allowed  to  use  the  said  books. 

The  resolution  was  read  twice,  and  ordered  to  lie  on  the 
table.  Ma}^  3  Mr.  Smith,  of  North  Carolina,  moved  to  amend 
it  by  including  therein  the  Superintendent  of  the  Patent 
Office;  which  motion  was  rejected.  The  resolution  was  then 
ordered  to  be  engrossed  and  read  the  third  time  on  the 
morrow.  Debate  on  the  resolution  was  accordingly  resumed 
on  the  following  day  (May  4),  and  some  objections  heard  from 
Mr.  Ivivermore  and  Mr.  Taylor,  the  latter  of  whom  moved  to 
postpone  the  same  indefinitely.  The  objections  were  that  the 
extension  of  the  permission  to  take  the  books  out  of  the  Library 
would  tend  to  impair  and  deface  what  was  intended  for  the 
ornament  as  well  as  for  the  exclusive  use  of  Congress;  that  if 
the  use  of  the  Library  was  extended  as  proposed,  it  ought  also 
to  be  further  extended  on  the  same  principles — but  that  it  was 
altogether  needless  to  pass  the  resolve,  inasmuch  as  theLibrar}^ 
was  open  three  times  a  week  during  the  recess,  and  daily  dur- 
ing the  session,  and  might  be  consulted  at  pleasure  b}''  the 
officers  in  question.  The  motion  for  indefinite  postponement 
was  accordingly  agreed  to.' 

That,  however,  the  privileges  were  extended  to  others  than 
those  provided  for  by  law  the  following  notes  preserved 
among  the  Librarian's  papers  will  show.     One  reads: 

Mr.  Watterston: 

Permit  the  bearer,  G.  vS.  Bulfmch,  to  take  books  from  the  Library  in 
my  privilege. 

William  Wirt,  Attorney-Ge?ieral . 

Another  is  from  Richard  Rush,  asking  that  an  eminent 
literary  gentleman,  whom  he  refers  to  withotit  naming,  may 
borrow  books  from  the  Library.  It  is  dated  July  19,  18 15, 
and  concludes  as  follows:  "Without  knowing  precisel}'  what 
your  rules  are  as  to  letting  out  books,  I  can  not  say  as  well 
as  370U  will  doubtless  be  able  to,  if  they  are  so  strict  as  to 
admit  of  no  relaxation.     If  chancery  powers  are  mixed  with 

'Auuals  36:  2053,  2180,  2184. 


USE   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 

them  sure  I  am  that  you  will  think  this  a  fair  case  for  their 
exercise.  If  not,  I  declare  I  feel  half  inclined  to  wish  that, 
where  an  object  so  interesting  to  the  scientific  researches  of 
our  country  seems  at  stake,  we  could  fall  upon  some  snug 
method  of  committing  a  pious  breach  of  the  law  itself." 

The  Intelligencer  (August  28,  1823)  also  suggested  the 
extension  of  the  hours  of  opening.  It  said:  "Why  should 
the  Library  of  Congress  not  be  accessible  every  day,  at  proper 
hours  between  sunrise  and  sunset,  to  every  citizen  who  may 
wish  to  avail  himself  of  the  use  of  such  treasures  of  wisdom 
as  may  be  collected  there  for  the  public  benefit?  It  may,  of 
course,  require  more  arduous  duties  than  one  person  alone 
could  discharge  to  attend  to  it;  but  if  the  nation  felt  interested 
in  accumulating  and  maintaining  such  a  monument  of  its 
literary  taste  it  would  not  begrudge  the  small  appropriation 
necessary  to  render  it  a  constantly  increasing  source  of  pleas- 
ure and  profit,  not  only  to  Congress  nor  to  the  reading  popu- 
lation of  Washington,  but  to  all  our  countrymen,  and  even 
foreigners  who  pass  through  or  who  occasionally  reside  in  the 
metropolis." 

USE   OF   THE    LIBRARY. 

"The  lyibrar}^  was  a  favorite  resort  of  members  of  Congress 
during  these  years,  and  not  unfrequently  becomes  the  scene 
of  ver}'  interesting  conversation.  Debate  is  done  away,  and 
the  sage  actors  in  the  field  of  politics  revel  for  a  while  in  the 
delights  of  literary  discussion,  to  return  with  still  more  ardor 
to  the  mighty  labors  of  legislation,"  so  says  the  Journal 
(p.  73)  of  a  tour  of  a  detachment  of  cadets  from  the  A.  L-  S. 
and  M.  Academy,  Middletown,  Conn.,  to  the  city  of  Wash- 
ington,  in    December,    1826.     Of  this    remark   there   are   a 

number  of  interesting  illustrations  in  the  Librarian's  "L 

Family  at  Washington." 

In  strictness,  no  one  was  allowed  to  enter  the  Library 
unless  admitted  by  the  Librarian  or  introduced  by  a  member 
of  Congress.'  This  rule  was  generously  interpreted,  however, 
and  so  the  Library  became  more  and  more  the  resort  not  only 
of  statesmen    but  men  of  letters.     iVmong  the  more  noted 

^  IVashimrlu"  City  Chronicle,  July  11,  1S29. 


l86  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,   1814-1829. 

visitors  of  this  class  we  have  already  mentioned  Jared  Sparks. 
Rufus  Choate,  then  in  the  office  of  the  Attorney-General, 
was  also  an  habitue.  Writing  to  his  friend  James  Marsh  of 
Andover  Theological  Seminary,  August  11,  1821,  he  said,  "I 
am  sadly  at  a  loss  for  books  here,  but  I  sit  three  days  every 
week  in  the  large  Congressional  Library  and  am  studying 
our  own  extensive  ante-Revolutionary  liistorj^  and  reading 
your  favorite  Gibbon.  The  only  classic  I  can  get  is  Ovid.'" 
The  Library  was  also  the  morning  rendezvous  of  the  ladies 
who  were  acquainted  with  Congressmen^  and  of  other  fash- 
ionable loungers  who  came  there  to  pass  the  time  in  conver- 
sation, in  looking  at  pictures,  or  in  reading.^  There  was 
much  amusement,  Mrs.  Kllet  sa3'S,  in  looking  over  the 
pamphlets  published  about  1801,  and  the  marginal  notes  in 
Jefferson's  small,  round,  delicate  handwriting.'* 

'Samuel  G.  Brown,  Life  of  Rufus  Choate  (1870),  p.  25. 

=  Reminiscences  of  Washington,  in  the  Atlantic  Monthly,  45:  58,  January,  1S80. 

3Watterston,  Wanderer  in  Washington,  p.  218. 

'»E.  F.  EUet,  Court  circles  of  the  Republic,  Hartford,  1869,  p.  130. 


THE  LIBRARY  IN  POLITICS 


1S7 


Chapthr  Six. 
the  library  in  politics. 

On  the  28th  of  May,  1829,  Pi'esident  Jackson  appointed 
John  Silva  IMeehan  Librarian  of  Congress,  in  the  place  of 
George  Watterston,  and  the  assistant  librarian,  Mr.  Stelle, 
"the  sole  support  of  an  aged  mother  and  her  family,"  was 
superseded  by  Mr.  E.  J.  Hume.' 

The  Petersburg  Iiitelligencer  ohs^rxo:^  that  the  new  Librarian 
was  the  third  person  attached  to  the  Telegraph  who  had  been 
appointed  to  public  office.  "In  mentioning  this  fact,"  it 
added,  "we  are  far  from  washing  to  disturb  the  tender  nerves 
of  our  brethren  of  the  Administration  presses  by  urging  it  as 
evidence  of  dictation  exercised  over  the  Chief  Magistrate. 
Perhaps  it  may  be  more  agreeable  to  their  sensibility  to  st3de 
it  a  curious  coincidence."^ 

The  New  England  Palladmm  said:  "The  removal  of  Mr. 
Watterston  will  be  the  subject  of  great  regret  with  all  mem- 
bers of  Congress  and  others  who  have  been  in  the  habit  of 
frequenting  the  Library  for  the  purpose  of  availing  themselves 
of  its  literary  and  scientific  stores.  He  is  himself  a  sort 
of  compendium  of  all  that  the  Librarj^  contains,  for  he  is  a 
man  of  sense  and  learning,  a  good  linguist,  an  accomplished 
bibliographer,  and  has  been  assiduousl}'  devoted  to  the  Library 
for  fourteen  years.  Withal  he  was  alwa3\s  prompt  in  aiding 
the  inquiries  of  every  visitor.  He  is  formed  b}-  habits  and 
education  for  the  place  which  he  has  filled,  and  would  fill  with 
reputation  the  same  place  in  the  first  libraries  of  Europe. 
Mr.  Watterston,  we  believe,  was  not  dependent  on  his  salary; 
he  can  do  better  without  the  office  than  the  office  without 
him.  '•'     '^' 

^National  Intelligencer,  June  11,   1829;    Trenton   True  A)nerican,  reprinted  in 
National  Intelligencer,  June  23,  1829. 

'Copied  in  National  Journal,  June  15,  1S29. 

189 


IQO  THE   LIBRARY   IN    POLITICS. 

"The  new  Librarian,  Mr.  Meehan,  does  not  possess  the 
peculiar  qualifications  of  his  predecessor.  But  as  he  is 
an  amiable  and  respectable  man,  we  are  better  pleased  with 
his  appointment  than  we  should  have  been  with  that  of 
any  other  on  whom,  he  being  out  of  the  question,  it  would 
probabh'  have  fallen."' 

In  the  local  press  the  war  of  words  over  the  removal  was 
much  more  vigorous  and  protracted.  On  the  9th  of  June, 
1829,  Watterston  joined  the  editorial  staff  of  the  National 
Journal^  and  on  the  same  day  an  article  on  the  removal, 
doubtless  from  his  pen,  appeared  in  its  editorial  column. 
It  was  as  follows: 

This  is  oue  of  the  most  extraordinary  removals  as  well  as  appointments 
which  the  weak  and  tyrannical  heads  of  the  present  Administration  have 
yet  made.  We  regard  this  act  as  a  gross  outrage  on  the  rights  of  Con- 
gress and  an  open  violation  of  law.  It  is  an  outrage  on  the  rights  of 
Congress  because  it  is  an  unnecessary  and  unwarrantable  interference 
with  the  officers  of  the  legislative  assembly  of  the  nation,  without  deign- 
ing to  consult  its  members  as  to  the  expediency  of  the  change,  and  without 
condescending  to  inquire  whether  such  a  change  would  be  acceptable  to 
them  or  not.  Common  sense  as  well  as  common  delicacy,  we  should 
have  thought,  would  have  suggested  such  a  course  as  this  to  a  man  of 
ordinary  reflection  and  sensibility.  It  is  saying  to  the  members  of  a 
coordinate  branch  of  the  Government,  "I  wish  to  place  a  creature  of 
mine  in  an  office  formed  expressly  for  your  accommodation  and  benefit, 
but  you  are  too  contemptible  to  be  consulted.  Anyone  that  I  please  to 
give  you  you  shall  receive,  nor  shall  you  dare  to  murmur.  I  do  not 
think  it  worth  while  to  consult  you  on  the  subject,  because  I  am  the 
sovereign  and  you  are  the  slaves."  If  Congress  will  submit  to  this 
insult  they  are  not  the  men  their  countrymen  have  taken  them  for. 

The  appointment  is,  moreover,  in  violation  of  law.  The  act  requires 
that  ' '  previous  to  the  Librarian  entering  upon  the  duties  of  his  office, 
he  shall  give  a  bond  in  such  a  sum  and  with  such  security  as  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Senate  and  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  for  the 
time  being,  may  deem  sufficient  for  the  safe-keeping  of  such  books, 
maps,  and  furniture  as  may  be  confided  to  his  care,  etc.,  which  bond 
shall  be  deposited  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate. ' '  As  no 
such  officer  as  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives  now  exists, 
no  bond  can  be  legally  given,  and  therefore  no  Librarian  can  enter  upon 
the  duties  of  the  office  unless  he  does  so  by  an  act  of  usurpation.  The 
object  of  this  law  was  to  hold  the  incumbent  responsible  for  the  large 

'Reprinted  in  the  Xatioual  lutel/igcnccr,  June  22,  1829. 


REMOVAL    OF    LIBRARIAN   WATTERSTON.  I9I 

amount  of  property  placed  under  his  charge,  and  to  give  to  the  presiding 
officers  of  the  two  Houses  a  control  over  the  appointment  by  the  Presi- 
dent. Congress  reserved  to  themselves  the  right  of  saying  who  should 
be  their  Librarian,  by  giving  to  the  President  of  the  Senate  and  the 
Speaker  of  the  House  the  power  of  demanding  such  security  as  they 
might  think  proper,  thus  intending  to  prevent  the  President  from  plac- 
ing in  so  responsible  a  situation  any  irresponsible  individual  he  might, 
in  the  exercise  of  his  caprice  or  despotism  or  for  his  own  special  purposes, 
think  proper  to  thrust  into  this  office.  We  are  clearly  of  the  opinion 
that  Mr.  Watterston  would  have  been  entirely  justified,  under  these 
circumstances,  in  retaining  the  key  of  the  Library  until  the  requisitions 
of  the  law  had  been  complied  with.  We  understood  that  he  would  con- 
sent to  surrender  it  to  the  President  only,  conceiving  that  he  could  not 
in  any  other  way  be  discharged  from  the  obligation  of  his  bond.  The 
President  has  therefore  assumed  the  responsibility  and  must  be  amenable 
to  Congress  and  the  nation  for  this  open  violation  of  law. 

To  this  the  organ  of  the  Jackson  Administration,  the 
United  States  Telegraphy  made  answer  on  the  same  day: 

After  a  full  week's  labor  the  Jourfial  gives  birth  to  the  lamentations 
of  the  late  Librarian  of  Congress.  Mr.  Watterston  complains  that  the 
President  has  not  only  usurped  the  power  of  Congress,  but  has  violated 
the  law  in  his  removal.  -■'  "^  '-'^  How  circumstances  alter  cases!  Mr. 
Watterston,  who  never  has  given  any  bond,  who  has  acted  for  many 
years  as  Librarian  to  Congress  in  open  violation  of  the  law,  asserts  that 
because  there  is  no  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  he  can  not 
be  removed.  Now,  the  truth  is  that,  according  to  Mr.  Watterston "s  own 
doctrine,  inasmuch  as  the  law  requires  bond  shall  be  given  previous  to 
entering  upon  the  duties  of  his  office,  he  not  having  given  bond  as 
required  by  law,  never  was  legally  authorized  to  act  as  Librarian. 

The  appointment  of  Librarian  is  vested  in  the  sole  power  of  the 
President,  and  Mr.  Meehan  has  given  bond  in  such  sum  and  with  such 
securities  as  are  approved  by  the  President  of  the  Senate.  When  Con- 
gress meets,  and  a  Speaker  shall  have  been  appointed,  the  bond  will  be 
approved  by  him.  Its  sufficiency  can  not  be  doubted.  As  to  the  new 
incumlDcnt,  no  objection  has  been  made  to  him.  He  has  been  many 
years  a  resident  of  this  city,  is  a  firm  and  consistent  Republican,  and 
has  not,  that  we  know  of,  a  personal  enemy. 

On  the  nth  of  June  the  National  Journal  replied  to  this: 

The  veracious  Telegraph  asserts,  with  its  habitual  disregard  to  truth, 
that  Mr.  Watterston  "never  has  given  any  bond,"  and  has,  therefore, 
acted  as  Librarian  for  many  years  in  violation  of  law. 

We  know  this  to  be  false;  and  that  the  man  who  so  boldly  asserted  it 
knew  it  to  be  false.     The  bond  given  by  Mr.  Watterston,  agreeably  to 


192  THE   LIBRARY   IN    POLITICS. 

the  requisitions  of  the  law,  is  in  the  handwriting  of  the  then  Speaker  of 
the  House  of  Representatives,  approved  by  the  presiding  officers  of  the 
two  Houses,  and  deposited  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate, 
where  it  is  now  on  file.  This  has  not  been  done  by  the  person  whom 
the  President  has  now  employed  as  his  agent  in  this  business.  We 
contend  that  no  legal  bond  can  be  given  by  any  man,  according  to  the 
requisitions  of  the  act,  before  the  next  meeting  of  Congress,  because  no 
Speaker  exists  till  then  to  give  it  validity  by  his  approbation;  and  that, 
therefore,  to  enter  upon  the  duties  of  the  office  before  this  is  done  is  to 
act  in  open  violation  of  law.  The  approbation  of  one  of  the  presiding 
officers,  if  really  given,  has  no  more  validity  than  if  none  were  given; 
because  the  law  imperatively  requires  the  sanction  of  both  before  the 
person  appointed  can  enter  upon  the  discharge  of  his  duties.  If  he  do 
so,  he  enters  upon  them  on  the  responsibility  of  Mr.  Watterston,  whom 
Congress  will  hold  answerable  for  the  charge  confided  to  him,  and  from 
whom  they  will  expect  a  surrender  only  when  their  presiding  officers 
shall  approve  the  bond  of  another,  and  thus  release  him  from  his 
obligation. 

We  again  repeat  that  this  appointment  is  a  gross  outrage  on  the  rights 
of  Congress.  There  is  something  due,  in  common  courtesy  and  polite- 
ness, from  one  branch  of  the  Government  to  the  other,  and  the  head  of 
one  would  necessarily,  if  he  possessed  common  sense,  consult  the  wishes 
of  the  other  before  he  took  any  step  that  might  be  injurious  to  the  inter- 
ests or  disagreeable  to  the  feelings  of  its  members. 

We  understand  that  the  amount  of  security  given  in  the  informal  bond 
by  the  acting  agent  of  the  President  \s  precisely  that  given  by  Mr.  Wat- 
terston fourteen  years  ago,  when  the  Library  was  estimated  at  $20,000. 
Its  value  at  present  is,  we  learn,  about  $80,000,  and  yet  no  higher  security 
has  been  required.  The  whole  affair,  both  as  it  relates  to  the  removal 
and  appointment,  is  one  which  ought  to  excite  the  indignant  feeling  of 
Congress  and  the  nation. 

On  the  following  day,  the  12th,  the  Telegraph  returned  to 
the  charge: 

It  will  be  necessary,  since  we  are  forced  to  the  task,  to  review  the 
whole  affair.  Mr.  Watterston  characterizes  his  dismissal,  first,  as  a 
"most  extraordinary^  removal;"  second,  as  "a  gross  outrage  on  the 
rights  of  Congress;"  and  third,  as  "an  open  violation  of  the  law." 
These  are  the  sum  of  the  ex -Librarian's  charges,  and  we  shall  dispose 
of  them  in  his  own  order. 

First,  his  "most  extraordinary  removal."  We  are  not  aware  of  any- 
thing superlatively  extraordinary  in  this  dismissal.  The  astonishment 
was  that  an  individual  altogether  unfit  for  the  situation  should  have  been 
so  long  tolerated  in  it.  It  is  notorious  that  the  manners  of  the  ex- 
Librarian  were  of  a  peculiarh'  disgusting  order.     His  conduct  to  those 


REMOVAL  OF   LIBRARIAN  WATTERSTON.  1 93 

who  had  occasion  to  visit  the  Library,  as  well  as  to  those  who  had  a  right, 
was  of  the  most  crude  aud  supercilious  description,  so  much  so  that  many 
of  our  members  of  Congress  and  citizens  rather  than  encounter  the  oblig- 
ing Mr.  Watterston  sought  elsewhere  the  information  they  might  have 
obtained  more  readily  in  the  Library. 

The  Library  itself,  we  have  often  heard,  owing  to  the  carelessness  or 
incapacity  of  the  Librarian,  was  in  a  state  of  great  derangement.  It 
has  been  said  for  many  years  past,  and  there  is  no  doubt  of  the  fact,  that 
the  books  are  misplaced,  incomplete,  and  in  many  instances  lost,  or  not 
to  be  found,  according  to  the  catalogues;  and  the  whole  establishment 
is,  we  believe,  at  this  moment  in  such  confusion  as  to  require  the  labor 
of  many  months  before  it  can  be  properly  arranged.  These  facts  of 
themselves  are  fully  sufficient  to  justify  his  removal;  but  who  does  not 
know  that  Mr.  Watterston  wa  s  one  of  the  most  .ser\'ile  of  the  tools  of 
the  coalition  and  one  of  the  main  prompters,  if  not  contributors,  to  the 
"We,  the  people,"  blackguardism.  Nay,  so  conscious  was  the  ex- 
Librarian  of  his  deserts  that  the  Executive  had  not  been  in  Washington 
many  days  till  he  was  inundated  with  begging  solicitations  to  retain  him 
and  was  actually  furnished  with  certificates  in  his  favor  from  the  most 
violent  caluminators  of  the  people  and  their  President.     *     *     * 

In  Mr.  Watterston' s  second  attempt  he  insists  that  he  did  give  a  bond 
for  the  due  performance  of  the  duties  of  his  office.  There  was,  indeed, 
an  instrument  in  existence  purporting  to  be  a  deed  of  this  description, 
but  so  far  from  its  being  a  legal  bond  it  was  inchoate;  it  had,  in  fact, 
never  been  properly  executed  and  was  no  better  than  a  mere  piece  of 
waste  paper.  It  is  not  only  entirely  deficient  in  legal  validity,  but  has 
been  actually  null  for  many  years.  One  of  the  securities  has  been  dead 
for  a  length  of  time,  and  what  is  more  it  bears  no  approval  either  from  the 
President  of  the  Senate  or  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and 
was,  in  short,  of  about  as  much  security  to  the  people  as  Mr,  Watter- 
.ston's  services  were  valuable  to  them.  Should  it  be  necessary  to  call 
upon  the  late  incumbent  to  answer  for  the  damage  the  Librarj^  may  have 
sustained  in  the  loss  or  destruction  of  any  part  of  the  property  committed 
to  his  charge,  his  security  will  have  no  difficulty  in  evading  the  obliga- 
tions of  the  pretended  bond.  It  is  rather  odd  to  hear  an  objection 
raised  by  Mr.  Watterston,  who  has  been  Librarian  for  fourteen  years 
with  no  security  whatever,  against  Mr.  Meehan's  bond,  which  is  per- 
fectly unexceptionable  on  this  point,  which  has  received  the  approval  of 
the  President  of  the  Senate  and  undergone  all  possible  legal  solemnities. 
The  amount,  also,  is  objected  to  with  equally  bad  grace.  It  is  for  the 
same  sum  that  Mr.  Watterston' sown  piece  of  informality  bore,  and  that 
was  not  thought  insufficient  by  Mr.  Watterston  till  after  his  dismissal. 
*     *     ^ 

23399—04 13 


194  THE   LIBRARY   IN   POLITICS. 

At  this  Mr.  Watterston  was  wroth,  and  wrote  in  the 
National  Journal^  June  15,  this  time  over  his  owti  signature, 
in  the  following  fashion: 

It  is  surely  not  for  such  a  man  to  prate  about  the  manners  of  another; 
he  is  as  incompetent  to  judge  of  them  as  the  rude  savage  would  be  to 
form  a  correct  estimate  of  the  polish  of  a  French  courtier.  If  mj'  man- 
ners were  at  any  time  ' '  supercilious, ' '  it  was  found  necessary  to  assume 
them  to  get  rid  of  such  impertinent  and  vulgar  intruders  as  he  and  his 
satellites,  and  to  save  the  books  from  being  purloined. 

It  is  false  that  the  Library  has  ever  been  in  a  state  of  derangement,  and 
if  it  be  now  "in  confusion,"  as  he  asserts,  the  confusion  has  been  pro- 
duced by  the  person  who  has  been  thrust  into  the  office  contrary  to  law. 
That  it  will  require  the  labor  of  many  months  before  he  can  even  under- 
stand the  arrangement  is  unquestionably  true,  for  as  the  arrangement 
is  a  scientific  one,  an  ignorant  and  uneducated  man  like  the  vulgar  slang- 
whanger  of  the  Telegr-aph  and  his  agent  would  be  utterly  at  a  loss  to 
comprehend  it.  To  any  man  of  ordinary  capacity,  information,  and 
taste  the  Library,  -when  left  by  me,  must  have  appeared,  as  it  actually 
was,  in  a  state  of  order  and  beauty.  It  is  my  pride  to  say,  and  the  fact 
is  known  to  everyone  who  has  been  in  the  habit  of  visiting  this  literary 
establishment,  that  I  have  labored  for  years  to  perfect  the  arrangement, 
and  to  render  the  Library  an  object  of  utility  and  beauty,  and  I  have 
every  reason  to  believe  that  my  efforts  have  met  with  the  entire  appro- 
bation of  all  who  are  capable  of  judging,  and  especially  of  those  for  whose 
exclusive  convenience  and  benefit  it  was  established.  I  have  so  arranged 
and  catalogued  every  volume  that  there  is  no  book  that  I  could  not  find 
instantly  and  without  difficulty,  and  with  the  contents  of  which  I  w^as  not 
obliged  to  be  in  some  manner  acquainted. 

Very  few  books  have  been  lost  in  the  course  of  my  long  superintend- 
ence that  have  not  been,  or  that  can  not  be,  accounted  for  (except  one, 
taken  out  by  the  very  man  who  makes  this  hazardous  assertion),  and  if 
they  can  not  be  found  according  to  the  catalogues  it  is  not  xwy  fault. 
I  am  not  to  be  answerable  for  the  ignorance  or  stupidit}'  of  those  who 
have  been  put  into  a  situation  for  which  they  may  be  wholly  unfit. 

The  next  charge  which  I  shall  notice  is  one  that,  if  true,  I  should  care 
very  little  about;  but  it  happens  to  have  the  Telegraphic  curse  uj^on  it — 
falsehood.  That  I  was  one  of  the  main  prompters,  if  not  contributors, 
to  "  We,  the  people,"  has  been  proved  by  the  written  declaration  of  the 
publisher  of  that  sheet  to  be  utterly  untrue,  and  it  is  in  the  characteristic 
stj'le  of  impudence  and  effrontery  of  the  vulgar  and  pensioned  Telegraph 
again  to  reiterate  it. 

If  solicitation  were  made  to  the  Executive  in  my  behalf,  they  were 
made  by  his  and  my  friends  in  Congress,  who  were  apprised  of  the  base 
and  unprincipled  efforts  which  the  hungry  officina  gentium,  who  were 


REMOVAL  OF   LIBRARIAN  WATTERSTON.  1 95 

inundating  the  city,  would  make  to  displace  all  the  most  useful  and 
efficient  officers  of  the  Government,  no  matter  by  what  means.  This 
was  one  of  the  fabrications  got  up  by  Duff  Green  and  his  coterie  to 
injure  me;  and,  like  the  Inquisition,  it  was  only  necessary  to  lodge  secret 
information  to  consign  the  victim  to  the  stake  or  to  lead  him  out  to  the 
auto  de  fe.  Such  is  the  present  deplorable  condition  of  our  country,  a 
condition  which  every  patriot  nuist  lament  and  resist,  if  he  wishes  to 
save  its  fair  fame  from  pollution  and  its  liberties  from  destruction.  But 
it  would  seem  that  against  the  express  desire  of  those  for  whose  special 
benefit  the  Library  was  created,  the  Executive  has  undertaken,  upon  the 
gross  misrepresentations  and  falsehoods  of  such  a  creature  as  Green,  to 
put  one  of  his  foremen  into  an  office  over  which  the  President  ought  not 
to  have,  if  delicacy  did  not  prevent  him  from  now  having,  any  possible 
control. 

I  deem  it  unnecessary  to  notice  the  paltry  and  contemptible  quibble 
about  my  bond.  It  is  on  a  par  with  everything  he  has  asserted  and 
shows  to  what  desperate  efforts  the  slanderer  is  driven  when  pushed — 
deserves  no  further  remark  than  it  is  nonsensical  and  absurd.  The  per- 
fectly "unexceptionable  bond,"  as  he  terms  it,  which  has  been  given 
by  Mr.  Meehan,  is,  in  fact,  no  bond  at  all;  because  it  has  not  the  neces- 
sary legal  formalities — has  not  the  sanction  of  either  the  President  of  the 
Senate  or  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  is  therefore 
of  no  more  validity  than  a  piece  of  blank  paper.  The  amount  of  his 
security,  if  security  it  can  be  called,  is  the  same  which  I  gave  when  the 
Library  was  estimated  at  $20,000,  and  yet  property  to  the  amount  of 
$80,000  has  been  illegally  put  under  the  charge  of  a  man  wholly  irre- 
sponsible, on  the  bare  word  of  a  pensioned  calumniator  without  decency 
and  without  truth. 

Another  power  will  yet  determine  upon  the  legality  of  this  proceeding, 
and  no  doubt  take  such  steps  as  their  insulted  rights  demand.  I  am 
myself  indifferent  as  to  the  result,  and  should  not  now  have  intruded  on 
the  public  attention  with  these  remarks  if  the  insufferable  arrogance  and 
falsehood  of  the  minion  who  has  assailed  me  had  not  rendered  it  indis- 
pensable. Everj'one  who  knows  him  must  know  that  "S'il  n'avait  pas 
ecrit,  il  aurait  ete  assassin." 

George  Watterston, 

At  this  the  opposition  rejoiced,  though  Mr.  Watterston 
meant  that  it  should  quail,  and  the  Telegraphy  J^me  16, 
observed: 

THE   EX-UBRARIAN. 

Poor  Mr.  Watterston  was  yesterday  literally  foaming  at  the  mouth. 
The  very  editors  of  the  Asylum"^  were  ashamed  of  him;  and  in  place  of 
admitting  his  distressed  article  into  the  editorial  columns  as  heretofore, 

'  The  National  Journal. 


196  THE   LIBRARY   IN   POLlTlCvS. 

the}-  not  onl5'  placed  it  in  the  most  obscure  corner,  but  before  undertak- 
ing to  publish  it  at  all  actuallj^  obliged  him  to  add  name  at  full  length, 
that  it  might  not  be  mistaken,  b}^  its  resemblance,  for  a  bona  fide  lucu- 
bration of  either  Mr.  Kendall  or  Mr.  Agg.  A  more  ludicrous  ebullition 
of  frenz)^  has  seldom  been  exhibited,  and  for  unadulterated  billingsgate 
even  the  gifted  thirty-six '  must  j'ield  the  palm  to  Mr.  Watterston.  So 
great  indeed  is  the  extent  of  vituperative  talent  displayed  that  we  are 
inclined  to  suspect  that  it  is  actualh'  one  of  his  own  best  papers  in  ' '  We, 
the  people ' '  resuscitated.  To  read  his  abuse  with  any  tolerable  degree 
of  gravit}'  is  much  more  difficult  than  to  answer  the  solitarj-  objection  to 
the  legalit)'  of  his  successor's  appointment,  in  which  he  still  pt-sists. 
We  quote  his  own  language  as  a  tolerable  specimen  of  his  style  and 
facts.  The  classical  requirements,  of  which  he  takes  occasion  to  boast 
as  a  proof  of  his  fitness  for  office,  maj-  be  estimated  from  the  circum- 
stance that  of  the  three  quotations  in  his  tirade  the  first  is  in  bad  Latin, 
the  second  in  bad  Spanish,  and  the  third  in  bad  French. 

After  quoting  what  Air.  Watterston  said  about  the  bond,  tlie 
editor  of  the  Telegraph  then  proceeded: 

An  effectual  and,  to  all  but  Mr.  Watterston,  a  conclusive  answer  to  the 
above  statement  is  to  be  found  in  the  following  extract  from  the  receipt 
by  Mr.  Lowrie  for  Mr.  Meehan's  bond  and  the  approval  of  the  same  by 
the  President  of  the  Senate.  The  said  bond  is  accompanied  by  a  letter 
from  the  Hon.  Samuel  Smith,  President  of  the  Senate  pro  tempore,  dated 
the  2d  instant,  in  which  is  stated  that  he  approves  of  the  said  securities 
and  of  the  .sum  of  $2,000,  the  amount  stated  in  the  bond — Walter  Lowrie, 
Secretary  of  the  Senate.  This  very  document  was,  some  time  ago,  put 
into  the  hands  of  the  ex-Librarian  and  read  by  hi^n.  Will  he  again  a.ssert 
"that  Mr.  Meehan  has  given  no  bond,  that  it  has  not  the  sanction  of 
either  President  of  the  Senate  or  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, and  that  it  is  of  no  more  validity  than  a  piece  of  blank  paper? '''' 
Will  he  deny,  at  the  same  time,  that  his  bond  v^as  invalid,  that  it  never 
bore  the  approval  of  either  of  the  ofiicers  required  bj^  law?  Will  he  tell 
us  what  the  nominal  amount  of  his  own  bond  was  at  the  pe7-iod  of  his 
dismissal,  that  we  may  compare  it  with  the  sum  of  Mr.  Meehan's,  and 
sa}^  in  conclusion,  if  he  is  prepared  to  make  good  the  lost  and  damaged 
books  for  which  that  bond  was  granted? 

But  the  ex-L,ibrarian\s  ca.se  has  broken  down  so  fairly  on  his  own 
showing  that  we  feel  it  unnecessarj'  to  follow  him  farther  through  the 
insane  vulgarity  of  his  ye-sterdaj^'s  effusion  in  order  to  satisf}-  the  people 
of  the  .strict  propriety  of  his  dismissal.  He  has  admitted  his  ' '  .supercilious 
conduct, ' '  and  we  have  shown  his  utter  unworthiness  as  well  as  his  mental 
and  physical  unfitness  for  such  a  trust.  We  therefore  leave  him  to 
reflect  on  his  past  conduct,  with  perfect  liberty  in  future  to  be  as  abusive 

'Editons  of  \.\\l-  Joiirual. 


pHr 


hnf:uc -•  {■:cUcn.  Stiuloitcftinllnittcl Slratv(> (fMimca!  ^-^ 

Jo  CtiUir/io  j/m/'Ou  tfuit  jntitiitrCjIltitiAxd:. 

rfu'ir/lian  K.'i.lu  ffn  CutcfCcucjx^<J2,jUifitcLcn  f^lirtmjafJiiniUi^x^/S02  tnlrtiuL 
U  tccuc.  vun^  ffn  Mtcnyforrfii  a  St.  ai  l-oHrJ^^mui  ofGn^tfi,  rn.d  cL> 

!  r/^Mcyi  ',v//:  ^  '.XtcurvaiuiAup'ffa  cluduoj/iTitC^^tt  uccrJ.n^ 
.:  .■ '. .  .•  an  cL  to  7{{i  It  and  ^  7(vl  'd  /fn  Jm'U  (^-ULffail^ciUCmi  u^lh  rfuL  t„u,/a,nina 
■:& Luiiii'Aj cJiiilitiiiititici  latte  /ini. "ftu  iauiJff/in  5.  cUufian-r/tttaic^  ml 
:  .-Tfii  fit^iclr:to/y^i  'lltuttciSttittiCcrtfutinLvS-tcncL. 

I       liiadijuilsutca.dtfK^Lcitottti^  IliutieL^hita  to  tt  hnuDito 
afftxcci.  CuVr/l^/liuki  luulnind  citmt  CittLofmulunnloii-' 
,1Tuiii/ti7tu[(nfiihdcn/efc^(nuc4'.'WJS2ait//irUf^itJiidtiiuiMnct. 
s^  ^ffki  llmtuL  Staiii  cftJln  h'lccl  tfuMq^ii  id. 


'^ii/Tu  JuucU)d 


■7 


2y'y2/-diyt^t/^<:^''^^'^^'^^^         ^^' '  '^"'U  '(' 


COMMISSION  APPOINTING  JOHN  SILVA  MKEHAN   IJimARIAN  OF  CONGRESS. 


History  of  the  Library  of  Coiijfross,  vol.   i,  plutt-  14. 


REMOVAL   OF   LIBRARIAN  WATTERSTON.  1 97 

as  he  may  choose.  Should  his  classical  reiiiiuiscences  be  scanty  as 
reported,  he  may  have  forgot  the  saying  of  the  poet,  though  he  can  not 
now  avoid  feeling  its  truth,  "  Raro  antecedentem  scelestum  deseruit 
pede  poena  claudo. ' ' 

We  give  Mr.  Watterston  this  parting  recommendation — to  read  his 
last  lucubration  in  the  Journal  whenever  he  wishes  to  be  particularly 
self-satisfied,  dignified,  or  supercilious,  and  should  a  perusal  not  insure 
perfect  complacency,  let  him  recall  the  affair  of  the  burning  of  the 
Library  itself,  a  few  of  the  choicest  and  most  chaste  passages  in  that 

delicate  production  of  his  pen,  The  L Family  in  Washington,  and 

believe  that,  whatever  his  own  situation  ma^'  be,  the  people  are  not 
blind,  and  can  see  farther  than  either  Mr.  Watterston  or  the  Asylum  will 
admit. 

This  was  a  severe  rebuke,  but  the  N'alional  Intelligencer^ 
which  had  up  to  this  time  kept  out  of  the  dispute,  now  came 
forward  and  in  its  issue  of  June  16  quoted  Mr,  Watterston's 
article — though  not  in  full — with  the  following  remarks: 

"The  late  Librarian  of  Congress  has  thought  it  proper  to 
reply,  under  his  proper  signature,  to  certain  pretenses  for  his 
removal,  which  have  been  publicly  assigned.  It  is  no  more 
than  just  to  Mr.  Watterston  to  cop}-  the  following  passage 
from  his  letter,  his  official  conduct,  as  far  as  our  observation 
has  enabled  us  to  judge,  having  been  not  only  unexception- 
able, but  assiduous  and  praiseworthy."     ^^     *     '•' 

It  was  because  this  was  true  and  because  such  able  men  as 
the  editors  of  the  Intelligencer  recognized  its  truth  that  the 
position  of  the  ex-Librarian  was  a  strong  one  and  the  position 
of  the  administration  of  the  Library  correspondingly  weak. 
This  is  seen  again  in  the  following  communication  to  the 
National  Journal^  August  8,  1829: 

The  following  extract  of  a  letter  from  a  late  member  of  Congress  of 
distinguished  legal  talents,  relating  to  the  illegality  of  the  removal  of 
the  late  lyibrarian  of  Congress:  "In  my  opinion,  you  are  still  the  Libra- 
rian of  Congress,  and  though  temporarily  thrust  from  the  room  and  the 
possession  of  the  books,  your  salary  does  by  law  go  on  as  if  no  intrusion 
had  been  made  into  your  place.  The  third  section  of  the  act  of  January, 
1802,  strangely  enough,  it  must  be  owned,  gives  to  the  President  the 
sole  power  to  appoint  a  Librarian,  but  neither  that  act,  nor  any  other 
that  I  can  find,  gives  him  any  power  to  regulate  the  office  or  exercise 
the  slightest  control  over  the  officer.  These  powers  belong  to  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Senate  and  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives.     They 


198  THE   LIBRARY    IN    POLITICS. 

must  not  only  approve  his  security,  but  must  fix  the  amount  of  the 
penalty  of  the  bond,  the  main  condition  of  which  is  that  he  shall  faith- 
fully discharge  his  trust  according  to  such  regulations  as  they  shall 
establish.  I  presume  the  right  to  remove  is  claimed  as  a  necessary 
attendant  upon  the  power  to  appoint,  but  as  regards  this  ofl5ce,  I  can 
conceive  of  no  ground  on  which  the  claim  can  be  sustained.  No  one 
will  contend  that  the  right  is  given  by  the  words  of  the  Constitution  or 
any  act  of  Congress,  and  I  think  it  is  not  hard  to  show  that  it  is  against 
both  principle  and  analogy.  I  assume  it  as  a  principle  that  when  an 
office  of  indefinite  duration  is  established  and  a  man  is  appointed  to  fill 
it  without  limitation  as  to  time,  he  has  a  freehold  in  the  office.  Hence 
I  infer  that  the  Librarian  can  not  be  removed  at  all  but  for  misdemeanor 
in  office.  And  who  shall  examine  into  such  misdemeanor?  The  power 
that  appoints  or  the  power  that  controls?  The  President  has  exhausted 
all  his  statutory  power  when  he  has  appointed  the  officer,  and  then  the 
powers  of  the  President  of  the  Senate  and  the  Speaker  of  the  House 
begin,  but,  unlike  the  President's  powers,  they  have  no  end.  Their 
powers  are  as  general  as  the  objects  of  the  establishment  and  as  perpetual 
as  the  Library  itself,  for,  in  the  language  of  the  law,  '  they  are  empow^- 
ered  to  establish  such  regulations  and  restrictions  in  relation  to  the  said 
Library  as  to  them  shall  seem  proper,  and  from  time  to  time  to  alter 
and  amend  the  same.'  In  fact,  the  Executive  Government  has  nothing 
to  do  with  the  Librarian  nor  with  the  regulations  made  for  his  govern- 
ment, and  consequently  it  is  a  great  breach  of  principle  for  the  President 
to  meddle  with  an  officer  who  pertains  to  Congress  alone.  The  Presi- 
dent's power  to  remove  executive  officers,  civil  and  military,  has  been 
doubted  by  many  on  the  ground  that  there  is  no  written  law  to  justify 
it,  yet  there  the  reason  is  strong  in  favor  of  the  power  because  all  execu- 
tive officers  are  in  fact  the  President's  subordinates  and  political  servants. 
He  is  responsible  to  the  nation  for  their  actions  and  they  are  responsible 
to  him  and  receive  their  orders  from  him.  But  w^hat  has  he  or  the 
people  to  do  with  the  keeper  of  the  books  of  Congress?  It  is  the  Presi- 
dent's business  to  see  that  the  laws  are  faithfully  executed,  and  subordi- 
nate agents  are  allowed  him  for  the  purpose  of  enabling  him  to  discharge 
that  duty.  If  the  power  to  appoint  draw  after  it  the  power  to  remove, 
then  not  only  will  the  State  legislatures  have  power  to  dismiss  Senators, 
but  the  electors  may  dismiss  the  President,  nay,  the  President  may  dis- 
miss the  judges,  the  marshals,  the  jurors,  whom  they  have  respectively 
appointed.     *     *     H< 

If  Congress  submit  to  this  usurpation  I  shall  not  be  surprised  if  the 
President  should  take  it  into  his  head  to  remove  the  clerks  of  the  two 
Houses  and  appoint  some  of  his  own  or  Green's  creatures  to  succeed 
them,  but  I  do  not  look  for  submis.sion  at  their  hands. 


PARTISAN  ATTACKS   UPON   THE   LIBRARY.  199 

PARTISAN   ATTACKS    UPON   THE   LIBRARY. 

If  Mr.  Watterston's  removal  had  been  merely  illegal  or 
unjust  the  injur}-  to  the  Library  would  have  been  great, 
but  because  it  was  also  a  partisan  act  and  because  Mr. 
Watterston  was  a  prominent  Whig  journalist  the  injury 
to  the  Library  became  incalculable.  The  partisan  character 
of  the  removal  of  Mr.  Watterston  from  the  office  of  Librarian 
was  shown  by  the  journalistic  war  which  followed  his  removal. 
It  is  shown  even  more  clearly  in  Mr.  Watterston's  corre- 
spondence. 

A  letter  from  Henry  Clay,  July  21,  1829,  said:'  "Prior 
to  the  receipt  of  your  obliging  letter  of  the  loth  instant,  I 
had  seen  with  mingled  sentiments  of  indignation  and  regret 
your  removal  from  the  office  of  Librarian.  It  was  a  step 
in  keeping  with  the  despotism  which  now  rules  at  Washing- 
ton, and  it  has  a  precedent  in  that  act  by  which  the  famous 
Alexandrian  library  was  reduced  to  ashes.  In  your  par- 
ticular case,  as  in  some  others,  I  have  been  inexpressibly 
grieved  by  the  reflection  that  friendship  for  me  may  have 
been  one  of  the  causes  which  led  to  the  exercise  of  ven- 
geance upon  3^ou  and  upon  them."     *     *     * 

On  the  floor  of  the  Senate,  too,  the  obligation  of  the  Whigs 
to  Mr.  Watterston  was  recognized,  and  during  the  following 
session  of  Congress  (April  28,  1830)  Mr.  John  Holmes,  of 
IMaine,  a  little  baldheaded,  ruddy-faced  man,  with  a  keen  face 
and  a  voice  like  the  trumpet  tones  of  an  organ,'  in  the  course 
of  a  speech  on  the  power  of  the  President  over  appointments, 
said:^ 

*  *  ^-  But  the  greatest  outrage  of  all  is  that  the  President  has 
invaded  our  dominions,  and  actually  removed,  and  in  the  recess,  too,  an 
officer  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress!  Sir,  the  President  has  as  good  a 
right  to  remove  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  as  the  Librarian.  This  lib- 
rary is  the  Library  of  Congress;  the  purchase  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  library 
was  for  the  two  Houses  of  Congress.  The  rules  for  governing  it  are  to 
be  made  by  the  presiding  officers  of  the  two  Houses.  The  law,  to  be 
sure,  gives  the  power  of  appointment  to  the  President,  but  so  soon  as  he 
has  exercised  it  he  is  functus  officio  to  all  intents  and  purposes. 

"Watterston  MSS. 

^  National  Journal,  August  20,  1830. 

3 Register  of  Debates,  vol.  6,  pt.  i,  p.  393. 


200  THE   LIBRARY   IN    POLITICS. 

The  President  has  no  control  over  this  Library  any  more  than  one  of 
our  clerks  or  any  stranger.  We  permit  him  to  take  books  under  our 
regulations,  as  we  do  the  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  and  other  officers, 
but  he  can  not,  any  more  than  they,  dictate  a  single  word  as  to  its  man- 
agement or  control.  Instead  of  his  having  the  power  to  direct  this  officer 
in  the  performance  of  a  single  dut)'  it  is  directly  the  reverse;  the  Librarian 
has  the  right  to  direct  him,  and  to  punish  him  for  a  violation  of  its  rules. 
If  the  power  of  removal  is  in  this  case  consequent  upon  that  of  appoint- 
ment, the  President  can  impose  upon  us  an  officer  of  the  two  Houses 
against  the  will  of  both.  If  he  can  remove  at  discretion  he  can  also 
refuse  at  his  discretion.  He  might,  consequently,  return  a  Librarian 
utterly  offensive  to  us,  who  mismanaged  our  property,  disobeyed  our 
directions,  and  set  our  rules  at  defiance.  But,  sir,  this  usurpation  is 
further  manifest  from  the  fact  that  he  can  never  judge  when  the  officer 
becomes  disqualified.  He,  neither  by  himself  or  any  of  his  subordinates, 
has  any  right  whatever  to  inspect  the  Library  or  inquire  how  the  duties 
have  been  performed.  He  can,  therefore,  never  know  when  there  is 
cause  for  removal.  It,  with  him,  would  always  be  a  haphazard  business, 
quite  as  likely  to  be  done  wrong  as  right.  The  President  did  not,  for 
he  could  not,  remove  for  cause.  He  had,  when  this  removal  was  made, 
been  inaugurated  but  three  months.  Now,  had  he  devoted  all  his  time 
to  examining  the  regulations  of  that  Library  he  would  not  have  learned 
whether  the  Librarian  had  managed  well  or  ill,  even  in  three  years.  But, 
sir,  we  know  that  Mr.  Watterston  was  not  removed  because  he  was 
unfaithful  or  incapable.  We  know  that  he  was  both  faithful  and  capable, 
and  preeminently  so.  Not  a  murmur  has  been  whispered  against  him. 
I  appeal  to  the  Joint  Committee  of  the  Library,  who  have  from  time  to 
time  superintended  it,  if  this  is  not  the  fact. 

But,  sir,  there  is  another  reason  which  should  have  convinced  the 
President  that  he  was  doing  wrong,  if  he  is  capable  of  reasoning  at  all. 
The  law  required  that  the  Librarian,  who  was  to  have  the  custody  of 
such  valuable  property,  should  give  bonds  with  sufficient  sureties,  to  be 
approved  by  the  President  of  the  Senate  and  the  Speaker  of  the  House. 
When  this  removal  was  made  there  w^as  no  President  of  the  Senate  here, 
and  no  Speaker  of  the  House  in  existence.  This  puts  the  flat  negative 
upon  the  President's  power  to  remove  and  fill  in  the  recess.  He  could 
not  possibly  appoint  this  officer  according  to  law.  The  whole  was 
illegal;  a  responsible  officer  was  thrust  out  by  arbitrary  power  and 
another  man  ordered  to  take  our  property  into  his  custody  of  no  legal 
responsibility.  But,  sir,  if  he  had  the  power  to  remove  and  appoint  at 
his  discretion  an  officer  of  our  own,  we  should  have  thought  that  com- 
mon courtesy  would  have  demanded  that  he  should  have  consulted  us. 
But  he  did  not;  indeed,  he  could  not;  Congress  was  not  in  session;  there 
was  in  fact  no  Congress  in  existence  when  the  removal  was  made,  for 
some  States  had  not  then  elected  their  members.     I  then  call  upon  the 


PARTISAN   ATTACKS    UPON   THE   LIBRARY.  20I 

gentlemen  to  give  the  reasons  why,   how,  and  by  what  authority  our 
Ivibrarian  has  been  removed!     ■'^     '-^     * 

Before  the  return  of  the  Whigs  to  power  in  1841  Mr. 
Watterston  had  lost  many  of  the  qualifications  for  the 
office  of  Librarian  which  he  had  possessed  in  1829.  For 
this  reason — there  were  doubtless  others,  also — he  was  not 
restored  to  his  lost  position  by  either  Harrison  or  Tyler. 
Mr.  Watterston's  disappointment  at  this  was  aggravated  by 
the  appointment  of  his  successor's  son  as  second  assistant 
Librarian  by  the  act  of  March  3,  1841.  He  gave  vent  to  his 
feelings  in  the  following  communication,  evidently  intended 
at  first  for  publication,  but  as  far  as  can  be  discovered  not 
published.  It  was  preseived  among  the  Watterston  MSS., 
and  is  without  date: 

Mr.  Watterston  was  for  fourteen  years  Librarian,  and  for  twelve  years 
had  no  assistant  but  a  ser\'ant  at  a  dollar  a  day,  Sundays  excepted. 
*  *  iii  The  expense  of  the  Library  was  for  many  years  not  more 
than  $1,900  per  annum.  The  present  Librarian  has  a  salary  of  $1,500; 
two  assistants  at  $1,150  each,  and  a  messenger  at  $750,  with  a  contin- 
gent fund  of  $50o-$6oo,  making  an  aggregate  of  above  $5,100  annually; 
and  they  do  not  render  the  service  performed  by  Watterston  alone, 
because  they  are  not  qualified  for  it,  either  by  education  or  reading. 
They  can  find  a  book  that  may  be  wanted,  but  the  subject  is  quite 
beyond  their  reach.  Meehan  was  a  proof  reader  and  was  never  fitted 
for  such  a  place.  His  education  is  very  ordinary  and  he  has  no  fondness 
for  reading,  and  therefore  can  not  make  himself  useful  as  a  Librarian. 
His  son  receives  $1,150  a  year  as  an  assistant,  merely  because  he  lost  one 
of  his  hands  very  foolishly  while  gunning,  and  that  gourmand  [William 
C]  Preston,  who  is  easily  played  upon  by  flattery- ,  must  needs  have 
him  stuck  in  the  Library  and  billeted  on  the  Government.  Mr. 
Stelle,  the  first  assistant,  is  a  competent  and  useful  man,  and  worth  both 
the  others  together.  He  understands  his  business  well  and  yet  he  gets 
no  more  than  the  son  of  Meehan,  who  can  scarcely  do  anything.  Mr. 
Mangum  says  he  has  voted  for  but  one  additional  clerk  in  the  executive 
offices  during  this  Administration,  but  he  is  mistaken;  he  voted  to  throw 
away  $1,150  on  this  young  man  and  to  pay  old  Meehan  for  being  a 
furious  locofoco.  Why  don't  Congress  look  into  this  matter?  Why  do 
they  let  the  President  appoint  these  officers,  especially  when  they  see 
how  improperly  and  foolishly  he  executes  this  duty?  Why  don't  they 
in.sist  upon  his  turning  out  this  low  fellow  and  putting  back  the  gentle- 
man who  had  been  so  unjustly  and  causelessly  removed?  Have  they  no 
feeling — no  sense  of  honor  left  as  a  party?     They  have  the  power  to 


202  THE   LIBRARY   IN   POLITICS. 

alter  the  law  appointing  the  Librarian  at  any  time;  and  why  don't  they 
place  it  in  their  own  hands  and  not  allow  this  secret  locofoco  President 
to  palm  upon  them  any  fellow  he  may  choose  to  pick  out  of  the  streets 
to  associate  with  them?  But  why  is  so  heavy  an  expense  tolerated,  at 
any  rate?  Is  it  not  outrageous  that  these  men  should  receive  upwards 
of  $5,000  a  year  for  doing  no  more  than  was  done  by  Watterston  and 
Stelle  for  about  $2,500?  Is  this  the  economy  of  the  Whigs?  It  is  a 
scandalous  waste  of  the  public  money  and  should  be  put  a  stop  to  at 
once,  etc' 

Again  in  1844  ^^^-  Watterston  was  provoked  to  attack  the 
Library  administration  by  an  article  in  the  Globe ^  October  29. 
This,  in  speaking  of  Watterston's  work  as  secretary  of  the 
Washington  City  Clay  Club,  said:  "Watterston  is  himself  a 
slaveholder.  He  was  once  Librarian  of  Congress  and  was 
dismissed  by  General  Jackson.  He  had  the  unconscionable 
avidity  (to  characterize  it  gently)  to  charge  the  Government 
$700  hire  per  annum  for  one  of  his  slaves  who  occasionally 
went  on  his  errands  as  Librarian."  In  reply  to  this  Mr. 
Watterston  wrote  to  the  National  Intelligencer  November  2, 
1844,  in  his  most  vigorous  style: 

My  attention  has  been  called  to  a  couple  of  editorials  in  the  Globe  of 
Tuesday  and  Wednesday  last,  in  which,  among  other  extravagances,  I 
notice  a  statement  in  relation  to  myself  which  I  pronounce  a  base  false- 
hood, and  for  which,  if  repeated,  I  shall  make  the  conductors  of  that 
journal  answer  at  another  tribunal.  This  is  the  second  time  I  have  been 
obliged  in  self-defence  to  nail  to  the  counter  the  gross  fabrications  of 
that  print;  but  I  do  not  regret  the  necessity  in  the  present  instance,  as 
it  affords  me  an  opportunity  of  contrasting  the  promises  and  performance 
of  the  ' '  Democratic ' '  Administration  of  Andrew  Jackson,  which  came  into 
power  under  the  solemn  pledge  of  retrenchment  and  economy. 

The  Globe  of  Tuesday  asserts,  with  its  usual  effrontery  and  reckless- 
ness, that  "he  [I]  had  the  unconscionable  avidity  to  charge  the  Govertt- 
vient  $'/oo  per  anniwi  for  one  of  his  [my]  slaves  who  occasionally  went 
on  his  [my]  errands  as  Librarian,"  etc.  I  pronounce  this  assertion 
utterly  false,  and  its  falsehood  can  fortunately  be  easily  established.  If 
anyone  will  take  the  trouble  to  refer  to  the  acts  of  Congress  from  the 
year  18 16  to  1829,  while  I  acted  as  the  Librarian,  a  period  of  nearly 
fourteen  years,  he  will  find  that  the  contingent  appropriation  for  the 
Library  never  exceeded  $4.50  per  afinum,  and  out  of  this  small  sum  I  was 
required  to  procure  fuel,  stationery,  some  articles  of  furniture,  and  a 
servant.     The  hired  serv^ant  was  never  allowed  by  the  President  of  the 

•Watterston  MSS. 


PARTISAN   ATTACKS   UPON  THE  LIBRARY.  203 

Senate  and  the  Speaker  of  the  House,  who  had  control  of  the  fund,  more 
than  07ie  dollar  per  diem  during  the  days  the  Library  was  kept  open, 
namely,  three  times  a  week  during  the  recess,  and  every  day,  vSundays 
excepted,  during  the  session  of  Congress.  His  pay,  therefore,  seldom 
exceeded  $200  a  year,  and  he  was  the  only  assistant  I  had  for  twelve 
years.  All  the  duties  were  performed  by  myself  alone,  and  for  which  I 
received  a  portion  of  the  time  I  acted  but  $1,000  per  annum.  This  was 
under  the  very  extravagant  Administrations  of  Madison,  Monroe,  and 
J.  Q.  Adams.  The  retrenching  and  economical  KAvci\vi\?>\X2X\o\\  of  Andrew 
Jackson  succeeded,  and  I  became  one  of  the  many  victims  of  proscription. 
In  a  short  time  the  scene  was  changed,  and  instead  of  one  Librarian  and 
a  servant  at  an  expense,  including  everything,  of  $1,950  per  annum, 
there  are  now  one  principal  Librarian,  two  assistants  at  a  salary  of  $1,150 
each,  and  a  messenger  at  $750,  with  occasional  extras,  while  the  whole 
annual  expense  amounts  to  some  $4,550,  making  a  difference  of  $2,600, 
and  sometimes  $3,400  a  j-ear  added  to  the  annual  expense  of  that  estab- 
lishment, when  I  kept  it  with  a  single  servant  under  an  Administration 
so  often  denounced  as  extravagant.  If  it  will  afford  any  satisfaction  to 
these  concoctors  of  falsehood,  I  may  now  state  that  the  servant  referred 
to  has  long  been  free,  and  is  figuring  as  a  preacher  in  one  of  the  North- 
ern States.  The  conductors  of  the  Globe,  however,  should  be  the  last 
men  to  talk  of  ' '  unconscionable  avidity ' '  in  making  charges  against  the 
Government.  But  I  shall  not  attempt  to  retaliate.  It  is  enough  for  me 
to  show  that  in  the  statement  referred  to,  and  which  they  have  twice 
repeated,  they  have  asserted  what  thej-  must  have  known  to  be  an  atro- 
cious falsehood,  and  which  the  acts  of  Congress  and  the  books  of  the 
Treasury  will  demonstrate  to  be  so. 

In  1845  the  Democrats  returned  to  power.  But  in  1849  ^^^ 
Whigs  were  again  triumphant;  Zachar}^  Taylor  became  Presi- 
dent, Millard  Fillmore  Vice-President,  and  Mr.  Watterston's 
friend,  J.  M.  Clayton,  Secretary  of  State.  On  the  30th  of 
April,  1849,  Watterston  wrote  to  Clayton: 

I  called  at  your  residence  yesterday  to  see  you,  but  w^as  not  successful. 
My  object  was  to  inquire  what  progress  had  been  made  in  relation  to  my 
application  to  be  returned  to  my  former  office,  and  to  know  whether  it 
was  at  all  likely  that  I  should  succeed.  Every  Whig  citizen  in  Wash- 
ington seems  to  think  that  it  would  be  but  an  act  of  bare  justice,  and 
expresses  his  surprise  that  it  has  not  been  done.  To  your  discretion  and 
friendship  I  have  submitted  the  whole  matter,  and,  of  course,  have  taken 
no  further  steps  to  promote  my  application.  If  I  fail,  I  shall  certainly 
regard  it  as  an  instance  of  ingratitude  that  must  be  painful,  and  the 
Administration  may  retain  a  political  opponent,  but  they  will  lo.se  some 
friends  in  such  a  course.  If  Meehan  must  be  provided  for,  why  not 
give  him  another  place.     *     *     *     Another  press  (not  the  Republic^,  is 


204  THE   LIBRARY   IN    POLITICS. 

about  to  be  established  here,  of  which  I  have  beeu  requested  to  become 
one  of  the  editors.  I  desired  to  have  a  conversation  with  you  on  the 
subject,  as  I  propose  in  due  time  to  nominate  you  as  the  successor  of 
General  Taylor,  and  to  support  your  claims  to  the  Presidency.     *     >i<     * 

The  following  letter  was  probably  written  to  Mr.  Clayton, 
and  at  a  later  date  than  the  foregoing: 

Mr,  Whittlesey  informs  me  that  in  a  conversation  with  you  a  few  days 
ago  [he  learned]  that  no  further  progress  has  been  made  towards  my 
restoration,  and  that  you  say  the  President  remains  still  undecided.  I 
think  this  most  extraordinary.  I  depended  mainly  upon  j^our  efforts 
and  representations  for  success,  and  felt  assured  that  the  thing  would  be 
effected.  I  can  not  conceive  why  there  should  be  the  least  hesitation  in 
a  case  so  obviously  proper  and  just.  If  Mr.  Key,  Wallace,  Scott  and 
Co.  could  be  removed  for  their  mere  opinions,  I  do  not  see  why  Meehan 
should  not  also  share  the  same  fate  and  be  removed.  Indeed,  it  would 
be  more  proper  and  just  to  remove  him  and  restore  me,  than  to  remove 
the  persons  I  have  named.  Wh}'  should  this  distinction  be  made  in  my 
case?  Meehan,  I  have  shown  j'ou  and  Mr.  President,  was  not  only 
appointed  for  his  political  opinions,  but  is  absolutely  incom.petent  and 
therefore  ought  to  be  removed.  It  is  an  act  of  gross  injustice  to  me 
which  I  can  not  and  will  not  submit  to  calmly.  Wallace,  a  boy  whose 
associates  are  of  the  lowest  order,  has  been  appointed  to  an  office  of  $600 
per  annum.  Bradle3%  who  has  been  partly  Whig  and  partly  locofoco,  to 
one  of  $2,000.  Mudd,  who  has  done  nothing  for  the  party  and  can  not 
write  English,  to  an  office  of  $2,000,  while  I  who  have  done  more  than 
any  five  of  them  am  kept  out  of  an  office  from  which  I  was  most  unjustly 
and  improperly  removed,  and  to  which  I  have  undoubted  claims.  If  the 
Administration  were  influenced  by  the  common  feelings  of  gratitude,  it 
would  without  hesitation  offer  me  not  only  the  place  I  seek,  but  one  at 
least  that  I  might  accept.  I  shall  call  upon  Mr.  President  in  person  in 
a  few  days  to  know  from  him  his  ultimatum.  I  have  letters  from  influ- 
ential individuals  of  Louisiana  requesting  my  restoration,  and  if  the 
papers  I  sent  you  are  not  before  him  j'ou  will  oblige  me  by  letting  me 
have  them. 

If  my  application  be  rejected  I  shall  know  what  course  to  pursue.  If 
I  have  done  the  party  some  good,  I  can  yet  do  it  some  injury. 

A  third  letter,  also  to  Mr.  Clayton  apparently,  is  dated 
October  15,  1849. 

I  called  upon  General  Taylor  a  few  days  ago  to  deliver  a  letter  from 
an  influential  Whig  of  Louisiana,  recommending  my  restoration  to  the 
office  from  which,  as  j^ou  know,  I  had  been  so  wrongfully  removed  by 
Jackson;  but  his  manner  and  reception  were  such  as  to  lead  me  to  believe 
that  there  was  no  intention  on  his  part  to  make  a  removal  or  to  do  me 


ATTEMPTS   TO   REGAIN   OFFICE.  205 

the  act  of  simple  justice  I  desired.  I  have  therefore  abandoned  all 
expectation  of  being  restored,  and  should  be  obliged  to  you  if  you  would 
withdraw  the  papers  I  requested  you  from  time  to  time  to  lay  before 
him  and  return  them  to  me.  I  have  no  doubt  you  are  as  nuich  disap- 
pointed and  mortified  at  this  singular  hesitation  and  apparent  determina- 
tion not  to  remove  Meehan,  as  I  am.  I  am,  I  confess,  at  a  loss  to  account 
for  such  impolitic  and  extraordinary  conduct.  It  will  certainly  not  make 
me  very  ardent  in  my  support  of  him  or  the  Administration  hereafter. 
If  he  can  retain  such  men  as  Meehan  in  office  and  exclude  his  political 
friends  who  have  made  most  sacrifices  and  unceasing  efi"orts  for  the 
Whig  cause,  and  who  are  perhaps  able  to  do  them  still  greater  servnce, 
be  it  so,  but  the  consequence  is  now  beginning  to  be  realized  in  the 
defeat  of  the  party  ever5^where,  because  everywhere  the  Whigs  are  dis- 
gusted and  irritated  at  a  policy  which  punishes  friends  and  rewards 
enemies  by  excluding  the  one  from  and  retaining  the  others  in  office.  I 
despise  ingratitude  in  parties  as  well  as  in  individuals,  and  I  certainly' 
never  dreamed  that  the  party  which  I  had  so  long  supported  with  so 
much  ardor  and  at  such  loss  would  prove  ungrateful,  especiall}- to  one  to 
whom,  I  may  say  it  without  vanity,  they  owe  more  than  to  three-fourths 
of  those  that  have  been  appointed.  The  appointments,  too,  have  been 
generally  of  such  a  character  as  to  produce  dissatisfaction  and  astonish- 
ment. I  know  and  hear  what  is  said  and  thought  on  this  subject  by 
Whigs  here,  and  who  have  been  from  the  first  the  warmest  supporters  of 
the  cause.  Even  those  in  office  do  not  fail  openly  to  express  their  sur- 
prise and  mortification  at  the  treatment  many  of  the  old  and  original 
Whigs  receive.  I  am  conscious  that  you  are  and  have  been  my  friend, 
and  I  thank  3-ou  for  the  efforts  5-0U  have  employed  to  do  me  justice.  It 
is  in  your  power,  however,  still  to  befriend  me.     *     *     * 

The  rest  is  rather  illegible,  but  is  to  the  effect  that  he 
would  like  one  of  the  positions  which  was  at  his  corres- 
pondent's disposal. 

President  Taylor  was  immovable.  But  on  the  9th  of  July, 
1850,  he  died  and  Vice-President  Fillmore  succeeded  him. 
At  this  Mr.  Watterston  at  once  wrote  to  his  friend  Henry 
Clay  (July  17,  1850): 

Sir  :  From  our  long  acquaintance  I  take  the  liberty  to  trespass  upon 
your  attention  for  a  few  moments.  You  are  aware  of  the  friendship  I 
have  always  entertained  for  you  and  no  doubt  of  the  efforts  I  have  made 
during  the  last  twenty  years  in  your  behalf.  In  1818,  I  believe,  I  gave 
you  some  little  notoriety  by  my  "  I,etters  from  Washington,"  written 
under  an  assumed  character  and  circulated  extensively  at  home  and 
abroad,  and  on  all  occasions  either  as  the  conductor  of  a  press  or  a  con- 
tributor I  have  constantly  and  unceasingly  labored  to  extend  your  fame 


2o6  THE   LIBRARY   IN   POLITICS. 

and  rebuke  your  calumniators.  You  know  how  imjustly  and  wrongfully 
I  was  treated  by  Jackson  in  consequence  of  my  attachment  to  the  Repub- 
lican cause  and  to  j'ou  in  particular.  I  had  formed  and  cradled  the 
Library'  of  Congress  and  made  it  what  it  now  is,  except  some  additional 
volumes.  I  was  thrown  out  b}^  the  miserable  old  tyrant  who  then  ruled 
the  nation  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  have  been  proscribed  and  persecuted 
ever  since  for  my  party  opinions.  About  this,  however,  I  cared  but  lit- 
tle; I  supposed  that  when  the  party  triumphed  which  I  had  so  long  and 
so  devotedly  sustained,  not  only  by  my  intellectual  efiForts,  but  bj-  all 
the  little  pecuniary  means  in  my  possession,  that  justice,  simple  justice, 
would  be  done  me.  General  Harrison  was  elected  (1841),  and  instead 
of  acting  promptly  and  immediately,  as  he  ought  to  have  done,  he  died 
and  "gave  no  sign,"  though  he  knew  how  I  had  been  treated  and  had 
himself  been  the  victim  of  proscription.  Tyler  succeeded,  and  he  proved 
a  traitor  from  whom  no  Whig  could  expect  favor.  My  two  sons  had 
long  before  been  driven  from  the  cit}'  of  their  nativity  to  seek  their  for- 
tunes in  Louisiana  from  the  want  of  employment  here,  which  was 
refused  them  because  the  name  was  obnoxious  to  the  locofoco  party, 
and  I  remained  to  battle  the  watch  as  I  could.  When  Harrison's  Admin- 
istration came  in,  the  first  act  of  the  Cabinet  instigated  by  Webster 
was  to  decide  against  restoration,  the  only  act  of  justice  they  could 
render  to  those  who  had  been  unjustly  proscribed,  and  the  fiercest  mode 
of  proscribing  proscription.  I  felt  indignant,  but  I  remained  true  to  the 
party.  I  was  anxious  that  you  should  succeed  and  become  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States.  I  felt  that  you  had  been  treated  with  the 
basest  ingratitude,  and  I  exerted  every  effort  in  my  power  to  elevate  you 
to  the  position  to  which  I  thought  your  services  and  talents  entitled  you. 
A  press  under  the  title  of  the  Natwial  Whig  was  established  here  to 
advocate  and  support  the  election  of  General  Taylor.  The  editor, 
Gaither,  became  unpopular,  was  obliged  to  withdraw,  and  I  was  selected 
to  conduct  the  paper,  gratuitously,  of  course.  I  did  so,  and  supported 
your  claims  till  the  nomination  of  General  Taylor  by  the  convention,  and 
then  retired  from  the  editorial  chair.  When  General  Taylor  became 
President  Mr.  Clayton  volunteered  to  restore  me  the  office  from  which 
he  knew  that  I  had  been  so  unjustly  removed,  and  declared  that  if  he 
did  not  succeed  he  would  be  more  disappointed  than  myself.  I  left  the 
matter  to  him  and  though  through  the  influence  of  one  of  ni}'  sons  in 
Louisiana  some  letters  were  written  to  Taylor  from  the  most  influential 
citizens  of  Louisiana  in  my  favor,  he  paid  no  attention  to  them,  but 
through  the  secret  influence  of  Bliss,  a  locofoco,  and  several  Whig  mem- 
bers of  Congress,  the  man  who  had  taken  my  place  and  is,  from  defective 
education  and  want  of  study,  altogether  unfitted  for  the  office,  has  been 
retained;  while  L  who  have  sacrificed  everything  for  the  Whig  cause  and 
made  the  Library  what  it  was,  have  been  left  out,  to  the  triumph  of  the 
locofoco  party  and  the  mortification  of  my  political  friends.     I  wished 


ATTEMPTS  TO  REGAIN   OFFICE.  207 

tc  be  restored,  if  but  for  a  few  days,  to  show  that  the  party  was  not 
ungrateful  and  that  the  present  incumbent  had  obtained  my  place 
unjustly  and  wrongfully.  In  one  of  your  letters  to  me  soon  after  my 
removal  you  were  so  good  as  to  say  that  if  it  should  ever  be  in  your 
power  you  would  do  me  justice.  That  time  has,  I  think,  now  arrived, 
and  it  is  only  necessary  for  you  to  speak  to  Mr.  Fillmore  in  my  behalf 
to  effect  the  purpose  I  have  so  long  had  in  view.  I  have  been  like  your- 
self the  victim  of  the  basest  ingratitude,  but  I  entertain  the  hope  that 
Providence  in  His  wisdom  has  produced  a  change  that  may  be  the  salva- 
tion of  the  country,  as  well  as  the  Whig  party,  and  that  I  have  lived  to 
see  the  consummation  of  my  long-indulged  hopes  and  wishes. 
Ver>'  truly  and  sincerely,  yours,  etc. 

What  response,  if  any,  Clay  made  to  this  appeal,  has  not 
been  discovered,  but  if  he  did  anything  it  seems  from  the 
following  letters  to  have  been  without  effect.  A  cop}-  of  a 
letter  from  Watterston  to  President  Fillmore,  dated  Octo- 
ber 16,  1850,  reads  as  follows: 

In  the  interview  held  with  you  yesterday,  I  regretted  to  find  that  you 
deemed  it  necessary  to  refuse  the  simple  act  of  justice  I  desired  and 
that  you  had  thought  it  advisable  to  consult  your  Cabinet  about  the 
expediency  of  removing  a  political  eyiemy  and  appointing  a  political 
friend  in  his  stead.  When  Mr.  Madison  appointed  me  to  take  charge 
of  the  library  of  Mr.  Jefferson  in  18 15  he  did  not  think  it  necessary  to 
consult  anyone,  nor  did  General  Jackson  when  he  appointed  Meehan 
and  removed  me.  The  members  of  the  Cabinet  whom  3-ou  consulted 
are,  I  suspect,  strangers  to  me  and  unacquainted  with  the  circumstances 
attending  my  removal.  I  am  sure  Mr.  Conrad  could  not  have  advised 
you  to  such  a  course,  for  if  he  did  he  may  have  reason  to  regret  it  in 
Louisiana. 

The  reason  which  you  assigned  for  refusing  me  the  humble  appoint- 
ment which  I  once  held  for  several  3-ears,  namely,  that  it  might  offend 
Congress,  surprised  me  greatly.  Congress  have  now  and  will  have  a 
majority  against  you,  and  it  will  be  in  vain  to  attempt  to  conciliate  that 
majority  by  an  act  of  this  kind;  you  will  lose  more  than  yo\x  \i\SS. gain 
by  such  policy.  As  to  their  abolishing  the  oflSce  in  consequence  of  the 
removal  of  the  present  incumbent,  that  is  a  matter  that  would  affect  me 
and  not  you  were  I  appointed,  and  would  not  be  done  if  it  could.  That 
no  complaint  was  ever  made  against  me  may  be  seen  from  the  speech 
delivered  by  Mr.  J.  Holmes  in  the  Senate  in  1830.     *     *     ^^ 

But  you  and  jour  Cabinet  have  undertaken  to  decide  in  favor  of 
retaining  a  Democrat  to  the  exclusion  of  a  Whig  who  has,  for  the  last 
twenty  years,  devoted  himself  to  the  support  of  the  Whig  cause;  who 
has,  he  believes,  done  as  much  as  you  or  any  of  your  advisors  to  render 


2o8  THE   LIBRARY   IN   POLITICS. 

it  triumphant.  But  this  is  not  all;  a  simple  act  of  justice  is  denied  me, 
I  am  excluded  from  an  ofl&ce  from  which  all  admitted  I  was  wrongfully 
removed,  and  the  man  Avho  took  my  place  is  from/mr  or  some  other  cause, 
permitted  to  retain  it,  to  the  surprise  and  astonishment  of  every  Whig 
in  this  city.  But  [by]  such  a  timid  policy  you  neither  promote  your 
own  fame  nor  the  tottering  cause  of  your  party.  Ingratitude  in  parties 
as  well  as  in  individuals  renders  both  unworthy  of  support,  and  both  will 
be  repudiated  by  every  honorable  man.  The  fate  of  the  Whig  party  is, 
however,  sealed,  and  it  has  been  produced  by  the  timid  and  selfish  policy 
which  has  been  adopted  by  Whig  Administrations. 

Yours,  etc.,  G.  W. 

Another  letter,  seemingly  to  the  same  and  evidently  subse- 
quent to  the  foregoing,  reads  as  follows : 

I  am  induced  to  make  another  effort  to  give  you  one  more  opportunity 
to  do  me  an  act  of  justice  if  not  a  favor.  Your  refusal  to  restore  me  to 
the  place  from  which  I  was  so  causelessly  and  therefore  unjustly  removed 
by  General  Jackson  hurt  me  no  little.  Everyone  who  knows  what  I 
have  done  and  suffered  for  the  party  thinks  that  great  injustice  has  been 
done  me  and  that  I  have  been  treated  badly.  But  let  that  pass.  The 
opportunity  to  which  I  refer  is  that  which  is  likely  to  soon  occur  by  the 
death  of  the  present  Commissioner  of  the  Public  Buildings  [John  Mudd]  . 
This  is  an  office  within  your  gift  and  the  duties  of  which  I  think  I  am 
qualified  to  discharge  from  the  attention  I  have  paid  to  arboriculture, 
landscape  gardening,  architecture,  etc.,  which  it  is  highly  important 
an  efficient  officer  of  this  kind  should  possess.  It  is  not  an  office 
which  a  mere  mechanic  can  properly  fill,  who  can  merely  execute  what 
is  suggested  by  others  of  higher  attainments  and  better  taste.  I 
have,  moreover,  perhaps,  some  claims  to  this  oflSce,  as  I  am  now,  with 
one  exception,  the  oldest  citizen  of  Washington  and  perfectly  familiar 
with  its  history  and  wants. 

From  the  friendship  you  have  long  manifested  for  me  and  my  family, 
and  the  regret  you  expressed  at  being  unable  to  restore  me  to  my  former 
office,  and  the  promise  you  made  some  of  my  friends  on  that  occasion 
that  you  would  be  happy  to  avail  yourself  of  the  first  opportunity  to  give 
me  such  a  place  as  would  suit  me,  I  now  feel  it  my  duty  to  ask  you  to 
appoint  me  to  the  office  of  commissioner  when  the  present  incumbent 
shall  no  longer  fill  it,  which  I  am  sorry  to  say  is  likely  to  occur  soon,  if 
it  has  not  already  occurred.  It  is  the  last  request  I  shall  make  of  you, 
and  if  I  fail  in  obtaining  what  I  now  ask,  I  shall  consider  it  as  wholly 
unnecessary  to  trouble  you  with  any  other  request  in  the  future.' 

'This  letter  seems  not  to  have  been  sent;  there  is  another  of  the  like  tenor  following 
it,  apparently  written  a  little  later:  "The  death  of  the  late  J.  Mudd  has  made  a 
vacancy  in  the  office  of  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings,  which  I  should  be  pleased 
to  fill,"  etc. 


ATTEMrTS  TO   REGAIN   OFFICE.  209 

On  the  4th  of  February,  1854,  Mr.  Watterston  died.  To 
the  last  he  suffered  keenly  from  the  loss  of  his  position  as 
Librarian.  The  correspondence  which  we  have  here  repro- 
duced is  suf&cient  evidence  of  this.  And  the  Library  also 
suffered.  This  wall  appear  evident  in  the  history  of  the 
Library  from  1829  to  1854, — not  so  evident,  it  is  true,  as  the 
suffering  of  the  rejected  Librarian,  because  no  one  who 
was  in  a  position  to  know  how  the  Library  suffered  cared  to 
speak  about  it,  and  those  who  cared  to  speak  about  it — the 
friends  of  Mr.  Watterston — were  not  in  a  position  to  know, 
but  by  reading  between  the  lines  of  the  Watterston  corre- 
spondence and  of  the  Library  history  it  is  possible  to  see  that 
the  removal  of  the  Librarian  in  1829  ^^'^^  ^  reason  for  the 
tabling  (by  Henry  Cla}')  of  Preston's  motion  for  the  purchase 
of  the  Boutourlin  library, — the  Whigs  could  hardly  entrust 
such  a  library  to  a  Democratic  Librarian, — and  a  reason  for 
other  failures  in  legislation  and  administration,  perhaps,  of 
which  we  shall  speak  at  length  in  the  ensuing  chapters. 
Another  experience  of  a  similar  kind,  however,  was  neces- 
sary before  it  was  learned  that  the  Librarian  of  Congress 
should  be  a  Librarian  rather  than  a  politician.  That  was 
the  short,  unfortunate  career  of  Librarian  Stephenson. 
23399— <^4 — 14 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1829-1851 


Chapter  Seven, 
development  of  the  library,  1829-18s1. 

John  Silva  IVIeeliau,  appointed  Librarian  of  Congress  May 
28,  1829,  "^^'^^  described  by  his  contemporaries  as  a  man  of 
amiable  and  nnobtrnsive  manners,  punctnal  and  assiduous 
in  his  duties,  eminently  qualified  for  the  position  to  which 
President  Jackson  had  appointed  him/ 

Mr.  Meehan  was  born  in  New  York  City  Februar}'  6,  1790. 
During  his  boj^hood  and  early  manhood  he  lived  in  New 
York  Cit3^  In  1812  or  1813  he  went  to  Burlington,  N.  J., 
to  superintend  the  printing  of  Walker's  Dictionary.  After 
the  completion  of  that  work  he  was  appointed  a  midship- 
man in  the  Navy  and  served  on  board  the  "Fire-Fty"  until 
the  close  of  the  war.  He  then  received  an  appointment  as 
lieutenant  in  the  Marine  Corps  through  the  influence  of 
Hon.  Tench  Coxe,  of  New  York,  ex-Assistant  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury.  Preferring  civil  to  military  life,  however, 
he  declined  this  appointment  and  returned  to  his  trade  as  a 
printer,  in  Burlington.  In  1814  he  married  Miss  Margaret 
Jones  Momington,  of  that  city. 

Shortly  after  this  he  moved  from  Burlington  to  Philadel- 
phia, where  he  entered  into  partnership  with  Robert  Anderson 
as  printer  and  publisher.  The  firm  of  Anderson  &  Meehan 
were  the  publishers  of  the  Latter  Day  Luminary^  a  religious 
monthly  issued  under  the  auspices  of  a  committee  of  the 
Baptist  board  of  foreign  missions.^ 

In  1822  the  firm  was  removed  to  Washington,  then  becom- 
ing a  center  of  Baptist  interests  because  of  the  location  of 

■William  Q.  Force,  Picture  of  Washington,  1845,  p.  14;  Obituary  notice  b}-  bis 
friend  of  more  than  thirty  years,  John  M.  Brodhead,  Second  Comptroller  of  the 
Treasury,  in  the  National  Intelligencer,  April  27,  1S63.  There  is  also  a  notice  in 
The  Huntress,  December  14,  1839.  It  should  be  noted  that  the  librarianship  was 
first  offered  to  Charles  Pendleton  Tutt,  who,  however,  preferred  the  office  of  navy 
agent  at  Pensacola. 

'The  first  number  was  published  in  I'ebruary,  1818. 

213 


214  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,   1829-185I. 

Columbian  College  in  that  place,  and  there  he  commenced 
the  publication  (February  2,  1822),  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Baptist  general  convention,  of  the  Cohnnbian  Star^  a  weekl}' 
newspaper  devoted  to  the  religious  and  educational  work  of 
the  denomination.  On  July  9,  1825,  ^^^-  Meehan  resigned 
his  interest  in  this  newspaper,  and  early  in  the  following 
year  purchased  the  Washingtoji  Gazette."^  Jonathan  Elliot 
told  John  Quincy  Adams  in  1830  that  Meehan  had  been  only 
the  nominal  purchaser;  that  John  H.  Eaton  had  written  a 
letter  to  him  making  himself  responsible,  and  that  John  P. 
Van  Ness  indorsed  the  notes,  but  that  the  paper  had  been 
purchased  b}^  a  subscription,  to  which  several  persons  had 
contributed,  and  he  had  been  obliged  to  sue  the  notes.^ 

Upon  becoming  proprietor  of  the  Gazette  he  changed  its 
name  to  United  States  Telegraphy  and  remained  its  publisher 
from  Februar}'  6  until  October  17,  1826,  when  Duff  Green 
became  the  sole  editor  and  publisher.  In  the  following 
3'ear  he  became  secretary  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  Colum- 
bian College.  On  the  29tli  of  May,  1829,  ^^  ^^'^^  appointed 
Librarian  of  Congress  by  President  Jackson  because  of  the 
support  which  he  had  given  Jackson  during  the  preceding 
Presidential  campaign. 

After  Mr.  Meehan's  appointment  as  Librarian  all  his  ener- 
gies seem  to  have  been  devoted  to  the  duties  of  his  office.  On 
June  23,  1832,  the  Library  Committee  voted  that  he  be 
authorized  to  visit  the  public  libraries  at  Baltimore,  Phila- 
delphia, New  York,  West  Point,  and  Boston  to  instruct  him- 
self in  their  modes  of  managing  libraries  for  preservation, 
exhibition,  use,  etc.,  and  that  he  be  allowed  his  reasonable 
expenses  for  traveling,  to  be  paid  out  of  the  Library  fund. 
On  the  nth  of  August,  1856,  he  appeared  as  one  of  the 
incorporators,  with  James  Dunlop,  chief  justice  of  the  circuit 
court  of  the  District  of  Columbia;  John  T.  Towers,  mayor  of 
the  city  of  Washington;  Henry  Addison,  mayor  of  the  city 
of  Georgetown,  and  Joseph  Henry,  Secretary  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  of  the  library  for  young  men  in  the  District 
of  Columbia,  called  "Columbia's  Library  for  Young  Men."^ 

'  Washington  Gazette,  February  2,  1826. 
'J.  Q.  Adams  Memoirs,  8:  217. 
^Statutes  at  Large,  1 1 :  458. 


• — — * 


History  of  the  library  of  Congress,  vol.  i,  plate  15. 


LIBRARY   ROOMS,  1829-185I.  215 

Librarian  IMeehan  was  said  to  be  acquainted  with  no  lan- 
guage but  English,  and  not  very  well  acquainted  with  the 
books  written  in  that  language.'     This  was  perhaps  true  in 

1830,  it  must  have  been  far  from  true  in  i860.  The  experi- 
ence of  thirt}'  3'ears  had  made  him  acquainted  with  the  books 
in  his  custod}' ,  at  least,  with  the  most  popular  of  them.  Like 
other  librarians  of  the  period  he  attempted  simply  to  supply 
such  books  as  were  immediately  in  demand,  and  did  not 
attempt  to  anticipate  the  demand,  or  to  provide  for  other  than 
present  or  local  needs.  Such  bibliographical  polic}''  on  the 
part  of  a  national  library  was  undoubtedly  weak,  and  its 
weakness  was  felt,  especially  when  it  became  necessary  to 
replace  the  collection  destroyed  in  the  fire  of  185 1.  At  this 
juncture  Congress  should  have  had  a  Cogswell  or  a  Jewett. 

Librarian  Meehan  did,  however,  possess  the  second  qualifi- 
cation of  a  successful  administrator,  that  is,  business  ability, 
and  therefore  enjoyed  the  confidence  not  only  of  the  Demo- 
crats but  of  the  Whigs,  until  1861,  when  being  regarded  as  a 
Southern  sympathizer  he  was  removed  from  office  by  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  (May  24).     On  the  24th  of  April,  1863,  he  died.- 

THE  LIBRARY  ROOMS  1829-1851. 

From  1829  ^*^  1^5^  ^^^  chief  changes  in  the  Library  rooms 
were  in  the  additions  of  furniture.  On  February  6,  1830, 
the  Library  Committee  voted  that  the  Librarian  purchase  a 
suitable  table  for  prints,  maps,  etc.;  April  10,  1830,  that  the 
Hon.  Mr.  Verplanck  be  requested  to  see  to  the  purchase  of  a 
print  case  or  cabinet  for  the  accommodation  of  the  valuable 
books  of  the  Library,  containing  plates,  etc.;   February  9, 

1 83 1,  that  John  McDuell's  bill  for  painting  and  gilding  the 
titles  of  the  chapters  in  the  alcoves  of  the  Library,  amount- 
ing to  $185.96,  be  paid. 

The  civil  appropriations  act  of  May  5,  1832,  provided  $3,000 
for  repairs  and  furniture  for  the  Library.  With  this  the 
committee  had  shelves  and  closets  fitted  up  and  painted  in 
the  law  room  and  committee  room,  and  doors  of  mahogau}' 

"Watterston  MSS.  materials  for  a  history  of  Washington,  p.  38. 
»I  am  indebted  to  Librarian  Meehan's  daughter,  Mis5  Laura  G.  Meehan,  for  much 
of  the  above  information. 


2l6  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

woven  with  brass  wire  hung  in  front  of  the  bookshelves  in 
the  main  room.'  The  civil  appropriations  act  of  March  3, 
1835,  provided  $1,500  more  for  new  articles  of  furniture; 
that  of  May  18,  1842,  $1,800  for  carpet,  repairs  to  furniture, 
and  contingent  expenses. 

January  9,  1840,  the  Library  Committee  had  under  con- 
sideration the  application  of  the  Librarian  for  more  room 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  Library. 

In  1 84 1  an  additional  room  was  provided  for  the  use  of  the 
Librar}'  in  the  passage  adjoining  the  Librar}^  room,^  and  on 
the  1 8th  of  Februar}',  1842,  a  resolution  authorizing  the 
removal  of  the  law  library  from  the  room  north  of  the  main 
Library  to  a  room  on  the  floor  below,  near  the  Supreme 
Court,  occupied  by  the  stationer}^  of  the  Senate,  passed  the 
Senate  and  on  the  following  day  the  House.  On  the  ist  of 
March,  1843,  accordingly,  the  Library  Committee  ordered 
that  the  Librarian  cause  the  room  in  the  passage  near  the 
Library  to  be  shelved  and  put  in  order  as  early  as  practicable; 
that  he  also  cause  the  room  for  the  law  department  of  the 
Library,  near  the  Supreme  Court,  to  be  shelved,  carpeted, 
painted,  and  fitted  up  for  the  reception  of  the  law  books,  and 
that  he  defray  the  expenses  incurred  for  the  two  rooms  and 
for  removing  the  books  out  of  the  contingent  fund  of  the 
Library.^ 

The  civil  appropriations  act  of  March  3,  1843,  provided 
$225  for  la3dng  the  floor  of  the  principal  Library'-  room  with 
hj'draulic  cement,  and  authorized  the  Librarian  to  sell  at 
public  auction  an}'^  portion  of  the  old  and  useless  furniture  of 
the  Library  rooms.  The  Librar}^  Committee,  June  12,  1844, 
ordered  that  the  Librarian  purchase  a  cheap  carpet  for  the 
committee  room  and  the  room  adjoining  it,  used  as  a  Library 
room;  February  27,  1847,''  ^^^^  ^^^^  stairs  and  galler}^  in  the 
Library  room  be  carpeted;  Februar}''  26,  185 1,  that  the  Libra- 
rian cause  two  new  stands,  with  shelves  for  books,  to  be  made 
and  placed  for  use  in  the  room  adjoining  the  Library, 

'Minutes  of  the  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library  (MSS.),  May  26  and  December 
29,  1832. 
''Minutes,  March  3  and  February  15,  1841. 

3See  also  Minutes,  January  28,  February  4,  and  December  28,  1842. 
<See  also  Minutes,  August  i,  1846. 


LIBRARY  OK  CONGRESS,  AS  KEIUJILT  AFTER  THE  FIRE  OF  iSji 


History  of  tlu'  I.ilirary  of  Congress,  vol.  i,  jjliito  16. 


LIBRARY   ROOMS,  1829-1851.  217 

The  enlargement  of  the  Librar}'  room  by  the  addition  of 
the  two  rooms  in  1843  ^^^t  became  insufficient.  In  1844  it 
was  suggested  that  the  Library  be  accommodated  in  the  Hall 
of  Representatives,  and  the  House  of  Representatives  in  the 
Ivibrar}'  room  until  a  more  suitable  Hall  of  Representatives 
could  be  constructed,  when  the  Library  room  would  be  con- 
verted into  additional  committee  rooms  for  the  use  of  the 
Senate.'  December  23,  1845,  the  National  Intelligencer  spoke 
of  the  want  of  space  in  the  Library.  August  i,  1846,  the 
Librar3'  Committee  voted  "That  the  committee  will  endeavor 
to  procure  a  room  for  the  accommodation  of  the  printed  docu- 
ments, etc.,  that  are  ordered  to  be  placed  in  charge  of  the 
Librarian."  August  10,  the  civil  appropriations  act  provided 
for  enlarging  the  law  librar}-,  constructing  a  new  stainva}', 
and  other  work,  and  the  materials  therefor,  according  to  the 
plan  of  John  Skirving,  dated  July  20,  1846,  $2,412.  And  in 
1848  Air.  C.  B.  Cluskey  reported  to  the  Committee  on  Public 
Buildings,  with  reference  to  the  main  library,  that  the  light 
could  be  much  improved,  especiall}^  on  the  west  side  in  the 
recesses  where  there  were  no  windows,  by  increasing  the  aper- 
tures of  the  skylights  at  the  line  of  ceiling  from  circles  to 
ellipses,  and  that  much  additional  shelf  room  could  be  secured 
by  running  galleries  across  each  end  of  the  room  and  by 
removing  two  of  the  stairways.^ 

But  the  question  of  the  enlargement  of  the  main  Librar}' 
room  was  bound  up  with  the  question  of  the  enlargement 
of  the  Capitol.  On  the  28th  of  May,  1850,  the  Committee 
on  Public  Buildings  made  a  report,  with  plans  for  the  exten- 
sion of  the  Capitol  by  Robert  Mills.  These  plans  provided 
for  the  building  of  north  and  south  wings  to  the  Capitol 
to  accommodate  the  two  Houses.  The  Librarj-  room  was  to 
remain  in  its  old  position,  but  be  enlarged  so  as  to  occupy 
the  whole  of  the  western  projection.  This  would  provide  a 
room  of  155  feet  from  north  to  south,  by  nearly  60  feet  from 
east  to  west,  and  45  feet  high,  capable  of  holding  four  tiers  of 
alcoves  and  over  250,000  volumes.     The  alcoves  on  each  side 

'Report  of  Committee  on  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds,  May  24,  1844,  Twenty- 
eighth  Congress,  first  session.  House  report  No.  516. 
*  Thirtieth  Congress,  second  session,  House  report,  90. 


2l8  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,   1829-185I. 

were  to  be  lighted  from  interior  courts,  and  external  commu- 
nication with  each  wing  was  to  be  supplied  b}^  a  colonnade 
gallery  on  each  side  of  the  western  projection.  In  connection 
with  the  Library  room  it  was  further  proposed  to  bring  in  the 
aid  of  the  circular  part  of  the  Hall  of  Representatives,  to 
which  miscellaneous  objects  of  art,  etc.,  before  deposited  in 
the  Library,  might  be  removed.  The  Library  room  would 
thus  be  relieved  from  the  crowd  of  visitors  who  frequented 
it  more  for  amusement  than  study.'  The  estimated  expense 
of  these  alterations  was  $75,000. 

Among  the  other  plans  for  the  extension  of  the  Capitol 
those  of  Charles  F.  Anderson,  a  New  York  architect,  provided 
for  the  Library  as  follows:  "  To  give  effect  to  the  west  front 
and  change  its  monotonous  appearance,  I  have  availed  of  the 
necessity  for  enlargement  of  the  Public  Library  by  attaching 
two  square  projections,  which  will  give  relief  to  the  eye  and 
add  massive  grandeur  to  the  effect  of  the  entire  building 
when  viewed  from  the  city.  *  *  '''  I  have  opened  the 
present  Library  at  each  end  into  two  additions,  each  64  feet 
square,  with  retiring  rooms  off;  making  the  Public  Library 
218  feet  long  and  two  stories  high,  with  grand  circular 
stair  in  the  center  of  each  new  building,  by  which  you 
approach  the  upper  floors  of  the  Library,  as  well  as  by  the 
passages  and  corridors  from  the  old  building.  These  two 
square  additions  are  surmounted  by  lanterns,  on  the  summit 
of  which  flagstaffs  are  placed,  as  shown  by  the  elevations. 
The  height  to  the  top  of  the  lanterns  on  top  of  the  new 
Library  buildings  will  be  125  feet.  The  cost  of  altering  and 
enlarging  the  Public  Librarj^  according  to  these  plans,  it  was 
estimated,  would  be  $300,000.^ 

This  proposition  was  placed  before  members  of  Congress 
December  i,  1850.  For  want  of  opportunity  the  Committee 
on  Public  Buildings  and  Grounds  presented  no  report  upon 
the  subject  of  the  enlargement  of  the  Capitol  during  the 
ensuing  session.     A  report  was,  however,  drawn  up,  and  on 

■Thirty-first  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  report  No.  145;  Republic,  May  7  and 
June  10,  1S50. 

'  Report  in  explanation  of  the  plans,  etc.,  submitted  in  answer  to  public  advertise- 
ment for  enlargement  of  the  Capitol,  at  Washington.  New  York,  Butler  &  Brown, 
1850.     6  pp. 


LIBRARY   ROOMS,  1829-185I.  219 

the  7th  of  March,  185 1,  it  was  published  in  the  columns  of 
the  National  hitelligencer.  Their  plan,  as  regarded  the 
Capitol,  differed  from  the  plans  of  Mills  and  Anderson  in 
providing  for  the  erection  of  a  building  to  the  eastward  of  the 
Capitol  instead  of  the  erection  of  wings  at  the  north  and  south 
ends  of  the  Capitol,  the  two  buildings  to  be  united  in  the 
center  and  at  the  ends,  so  as  to  present  the  appearance  from 
the  outside  of  a  single  structure.  While  the  two  Houses  of 
Congress  were  to  be  accommodated  in  this  new  building,  the 
old  Hall  of  Representatives  was  to  be  appropriated  to  the 
use  of  the  Librar}^  without  removing  the  columns,  and  the 
existing  Library  either  continued  or  divided  into  committee 
rooms.  Neither  of  these  plans,  however,  was  to  be  realized 
immediately,  for  on  the  24th  of  December,  185 1,  the  Library 
suffered  from  a  third  conflagration,  less  disastrous  than  that 
of  August  24,  1814,  it  is  true,  but  far  more  so  than  that 
of  December  25,  1825,  out  of  55,000  volumes  only  20,000 
being  saved,  and  those  mainl}^  the  books  shelved  in  the  law 
department. 

Before  the  fire  of  1851,  then,  the  Librar}^  room  presented 
essentially  the  same  appearance  that  it  did  in  1825.  Robert 
Mills  said  of  it,  in  1847:' 

The  first  thing  that  attracts  the  attention  when  entering  is  the  admir- 
able order  of  arrangement  of  the  different  subjects  embraced  in  this  room. 
The  several  works  are  classed  according  to  Mr.  Jefferson's  arrangement, 
corresponding  to  the  faculties  of  the  mind  employed  on  them — ist,  Mem- 
ory (result,  history);  2d,  Reason  (philosophy);  3d,  Imagination  (fine 
arts).  Labels  in  large  characters  point  out  the  position  of  the  several 
classes  of  books  in  the  order  named  above — for  instance,  alcoves  Nos.  i 
to  4  contain  works  connected  with  history,  ancient,  modern,  and  eccle- 
siastical; natural  philosophy,  agriculture,  chemistr>%  surgery,  medicine, 
anatomy,  zoology,  botany,  mineralogy,  technical  arts;  alcoves  Nos.  4  to  8, 
works  connected  with  philosophy,  namely,  moral  philosophy,  law  of 
nature  and  nations,  religion,  common  law,  equity,  ecclesiastical,  merchant 
and  maritime,  codes,  statutes,  politics,  commerce,  arithmetic,  geometry, 
mechanics,  statics,  dynamics,  pneumatics,  phonics,  optics,  astronomy, 
geography;  alcoves  Nos.  9  to  12.  works  connected  with  the  fine  arts,  archi- 
tecture, gardening,  painting,  sculpture,  music,  epic,  tales,  fables,  pastoral 

•Guide  to  the  Capitol,  p.  30;  see  also  the  Supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the 
Library  of  Congress,  December,  1833,  where  the  alcove  numbers  are  indicated 
opposite  the  titles  of  the  chapters. 


220  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1S29-1851. 

odes,  elegies,  didactics,  tragedy,  comedy,  dialogue,  epistles,  logic,  rhetoric, 
orations,  criticism,  bibliography,  languages,  and  poly  graphical,  or  authors 
Avho  have  written  on  various  branches. 

An  original  likeness  of  Colnmbus,  presented  b}^  Mr.  George 
Barrell,  American  consul  at  Malaga,  and  found  b}-  liim  in  an 
old  castle  in  Seville,  was  hung  over  the  mantelpiece  at  the 
south  end  of  the  room,  but  in  rather  too  elevated  a  position, 
said  William  Elliot,  to  gratify  the  spectator.'  In  other  parts 
of  the  room,  on  the  walls  and  between  the  alcoves  hung 
Stuart's  paintings  of  the  first  five  Presidents,  portraits  of 
Peyton  Randolph,  of  Hancock,  of  T3der,  of  Bolivar,  of  Baron 
Steuben  by  Pyne,  of  Cortez,  of  Baron  <le  Kalb,  and  of  Ameri- 
cus  Vespucius.^ 

On  each  side  of  the  door  leading  into  the  balcony  were 
marble  busts,  the  one  on  the  right  was  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  by 
the  celebrated  Cerracchi,  the  rival  of  Canova.  It  was  a  splen- 
did work,  the  bust  was  elevated  upon  the  frustrum  of  a  fluted 
black  marble  column  based  upon  a  circular  pedestal,  which 
was  ornamented  at  the  top  by  a  continued  series  of  cherubs' 
heads,  under  a  broad  band  encircling  the  pedestal,  on  which 
were  sculptured  the  twelve  signs  of  the  zodiac.  The  pedestal 
bore  the  following  inscription:  "  Summo  rerum  moderatori  cui 
tandem  Libertas  Americae  Septentrionalis  curae  fuit;  cui  in 
posterum  curse  erit  nomen  Thomse  Jefferson."  (To  the 
Supreme  Ruler  of  the  Universe,  under  whose  watchful  care 
the  liberties  of  north  America  were  finally  achieved,  and  under 
whose  tutelage  the  name  of  Thomas  Jefferson  will  descend 
forever  blessed,  to  posterity.)  Opposite  the  bust  of  Jef- 
ferson was  that  of  Lafayette,  also  in  marble.  This  was  the 
work  of  P.  J.  David  d' Angers,  1828.  On  one  side  of  the 
base  block  was  inscribed  an  extract  from  Lafayette's  speech 
in  the  House  of  Representatives,  December  10,  1824,  i^^  ^^^^ 
following  words:  "What  better  pledge  can  be  given  of  a  per- 
severing rational  love  of  liberty,  when  those  blessings  are 
evidently  the  result  of  a  virtuous  resistance  of  oppression, 
and  institutions  founded  on  the  rights  of  man,  and  the  repub- 
lican principles  of  self-government."     On  the  other  side  were 


'Washington  guide,  1837,  p.  94. 

"G'^orge  Moore,  Voyage  across  the  Atlanti 


ic,  1845,  p.  33. 


LIBRARY   ROOMS,  1829-185I.  221 

inscribed  Lafayette's  last  words  in  his  answer  to  the  Presi- 
dent's farewell  speech,  Washington,  September,  1825.  "Ood 
bless  you,  sir,  and  all  who  surround  us.  God  bless  the  Amer- 
ican people,  each  of  their  States,  and  the  Federal  Government. 
Accept  the  patriotic  farewell  of  an  overflowing  heart,  such 
will  be  its  last  throb  when  it  ceases  to  beat." 

Over  the  cornice  of  the  alcoves,  upon  the  blocking  of  the 
gallery,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  room  were  marble  busts  of 
Washington,  Marshall,  John  Quinc}'-  Adams,  Van  Buren, 
Ta3'lor,  and  plaster  busts  of  Jackson  and  Aloultrie,  the  latter 
by  Col.  J.  S.  Cogdale,  of  South  Carolina.  There  was  also  a 
medallion  of  Madison.' 

Besides  the  works  of  art  already  enumerated,  there  were  in 
the  Library  a  number  of  bronze  medals  arranged  in  cases  on 
either  side  of  the  mantelpiece  at  the  south  end  of  the  room. 
Of  these  the  Brving  collection,  presented  to  the  Library  in 
1822,  has  already  been  described.  In  addition  to  the  Brving 
collection  there  were  two  medals  struck  at  the  mint  of  Phila- 
delphia, the  one  in  honor  of  General  Gates  and  the  other  of 
Captain  Hull.  On  the  face  of  the  former  was  a  likeness  of  the 
General  with  the  inscription  "Horatio  Gates,  duci  strenuo." 
The  reverse  contained  a  representation  of  the  surrender  of 
Burg03me,  with  the  words  at  the  top,  "Salus  regionum  septen- 
trional," and  beneath,  the  legend  "Haste  ad  Saratogam  in 
deditionem  accepto."  On  the  other  medal  there  was  a  good 
likeness  of  Captain  Hull,  with  the  motto  "Perilos  arte  superat 
certamine  fortis."  The  reverse  exhibited  the  action  between 
the  "Constitution"  and  "  Guerriere,"  with  the  classical 
inscription  "Horae  momento  victoria."' 

There  were  also  the  following  American  medals  struck  by 
order  of  Congress,  arranged  in  the  order  of  date.  Navy: 
Jacob  Jones,  October  18,  1812;  Stephen  Decatur,  October  25, 
1812;  William  Bainbridge,  December  29,  1812;  Thomas 
Macdonough,  September  11,  1814;  James  Biddle,  March  23, 
1815.  Army:  Isaac  Shelby,  October  5,  1813;  William  H. 
Harrison,  July  5,  1813;  Jacob  Brown,  July  5   and  July  25, 

'  Robert  Mills,  Guide  to  the  Capitol,  1847,  p.  34;  Watterston,  Guide  to  Washington, 
1842. 
'William  Elliot,  Washington  guide,  1S37,  pp.  94-97. 


222  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

1814;  James  Miller,  July  5,  1814;  Winfield  Scott,  July  5  and 
July  25,  1814;  Peter  B.  Porter,  July  6,  1814;  Edmund  P. 
Gaines,  August  15,  18 14;  Alexander  Macomb,  September  11, 
1814;  Andrew  Jackson,  January  8,  1815. 

The  middle  of  the  main  room  was  furnished  with  tables 
containing  drawers  to  receive  large  sheets  of  engravings,  a 
table  and  chair  were  placed  in  each  of  the  alcoves,  and  labels 
indicated  the  contents  of  the  different  shelves,  though  the 
books  were  protected  by  wire  screens.  A  Brussels  carpet  and 
furnace  heat  completed  the  comfort  of  the  room. 

ORGANIZATION   OF   LIBRARY   COMMITTEE. 

We  have  already  presented  an  extract  from  the  records  of 
the  Library  Committee  of  1806.  These  records  were  probably 
destroyed  in  181 4;  in  a  letter  to  Joseph  Nourse,  Register  of 
the  Treasur}'^,  requesting  a  report  upon  the  condition  of  the 
Library  funds,  October  3,  1814,  Mr.  Goldsborough  said:  "The 
late  conflagration  has  deprived  us  of  every  record  and  paper 
appertaining  to  the  Library."'  No  further  efforts  to  preserve 
the  records  of  the  Library  seem  to  have  been  made  until 
Januar}^  9,  1830,  when  the  committee  ^''  Resolved^  That  all 
letters,  accounts,  etc.,  of  this  committee  be  filed  by  the 
Librarian,  and  that  he  record  the  minutes  of  the  committee 
in  a  book  which  he  is  authorized  to  purchase  for  that 
purpose."  This  minute  book,  with  supplement,  extends 
from  December  30,  1829,  to  the  present  time  and  is  an 
invaluable  record  of  the  acts  of  the  committee  and  of  the 
principal  events  in  the  history  of  the  Library,  especially 
for  the  period  1829  to  1866,  when  the  annual  reports  by 
the  Librarian  began  to  appear.  The  letter-books  for  this 
period  are  five  in  number.  The  letter  files  are  valuable  but 
incomplete. 

The  Library  Committee  consisted,  as  a  rule,  of  members  of 
Congress  of  high  literary  or  scientific  reputation.  Among 
these  some  are  still  remembered:'  Samuel  Latham  Mitchill, 
Gulian  C.  Verplanck,  John  Quincy  Adams,  Adam  Seybert, 
Edward  Everett,  George  Perkins  Marsh,  John  G.  Palfrey, 
Rufus    Choate,    Horace    Mann,    Lewis    Cass,    Thomas    H. 

'  Library  of  Congress  MSS. 

'S.  L.  Knapp,  Sketches  of  public  characters  (1830),  p.  118. 


LIBRARY   COMMITTEE — WORK  AND   PLANS.  223 

Benton,  and  Charles  Francis  Adams.  The  committee  was 
appointed  by  the  President  of  the  Senate  and  the  Speaker  of 
the  House  of  Representatives.  It  seems,  however,  to  have 
had  the  power  of  filling  vacancies  in  its  membership,  of 
excusing  from  membership  any  appointed  by  the  Houses  of 
Congress,  and  of  appointing  successors  to  those  thus  excused. 
The  committee  voted,  June  16,  1832,  "That  future  meetings 
of  the  committee  be  commenced  at  9  o'clock  a.  m.  on 
Saturdays,"  but  on  the  3d  of  January,  1834,  the  hour  of 
meeting  was  changed  to  Wednesdays  at  10  o'clock;  on  the 
2ist  of  December,  1836,  to  Tuesdays;  on  the  15th  of  Jan- 
uary, 1838,  to  Mondays,  and  so  on. 

The  principal  function  of  the  committee,  as  we  have 
already  seen,  was  the  selection  of  books  for  the  Library. 
This  task,  a  contemporary  observed,'  was  usually  left  to  the 
chairman  of  the  committee,  who  generally  made  the  selection 
at  his  leisure,  a  leisure  which  he  often  did  not  find  till  after 
he  had  reached  Washington.  This  was,  perhaps,  true  during 
the  time  when  Mahlon  Dickerson  was  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee and  afterwards  when  James  Alfred  Pearce  was  chair- 
man. The  services  of  the  former,  of  which  we  have  already 
spoken,  extended  from  December  i,  181 7,  to  May  26,  1828. 
The  services  of  the  latter  extended  from  December  2,  1844, 
to  March  4,  1863.  "To  him  probably  more  than  to  any 
other  Senator,"  said  Alexander  D.  Bache,  in  1863,^  "The 
Library  of  Congress  was  indebted  for  the  augmented  fund 
which  it  has  now  for  some  years  enjoyed,  and  for  the  care 
taken  in  the  selection  of  the  materials  which  render  the 
shelves  so  useful."^  In  the  selection  of  books  for  the  Library 
Mr.  Pearce  was  particularly  careful  to  exclude  all  works  cal- 
culated, in  his  opinion,  to  engender  sectional  differences,  and 

^  National  Intelligencer,  Decembers,  1834. 

'Eulogy  on  the  Hon.  James  Alfred  Pearce,  Washington,  Smithsonian  Institution, 
1863,  p.  8. 

3  The  augmented  fund  which  the  Library  en  joyed  in  1863  dated  from  the  resolution 
presented  by  Mr.  Poinsett,  from  the  Library  Committee,  January  21,  1824,  which  led 
to  the  report  presented  by  Mr.  McLane,  from  the  Committee  on  Ways  and  Means, 
February  24,  and  the  act  of  May  26.  A  writer  in  the  National  Intelligencer,  January 
5,  1835,  said  that  Colonel  Benton  was  the  first  to  propose  the  annual  appropriation 
of  $5,000,  but  there  is  no  more  evidence  for  this  statement  than  for  that  of  Professor 
Bache. 


224  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,   1829-1851. 

wheu  the  Atlantic  Monthly  was  established  he  refused  to  order 
it  for  the  Librar}''  on  that  ground.' 

The  selection  of  books  for  the  Library  was  largely  left  to 
these  two  men,  Mahlon  Dickerson  and,  after  him,  James 
Alfred  Pearce,  not  because  they  v/ere  chairmen  of  the  com- 
mittee, but  because  of  their  long  service  on  the  committee 
and  consequent  knowledge  of  the  Library.  Other  members, 
however,  shared  in  this  bibliographical  work,  Edward  Everett 
and  Joel  Poinsett,  for  example,  the  former  of  whom  served  on 
the  committee  from  December  6,  1825,  ^o  March  3,  1835;  ^^^^ 
latter  from  December  3,  1 821,  to  March  3, 1825.  ^^^  Library 
owed  much  of  its  value,  also,  to  the  work  of  Messrs.  G.  C. 
Verplanck  and  Levi  Woodbury,^  the  former  of  whom  served 
on  the  committee  from  December  7,  1829,  ^^  March  2,  1833; 
the  latter  from  December  i,  1828,  to  March  3,  183 1. 

Concerning  the  services  of  the  latter,  there  arose  a  contro- 
versy of  considerable  interest  to  the  historian  of  the  Library. 
In  a  sketch  of  the  career  of  Mr.  Woodbury  in  the  National 
portrait  gallery  of  distinguished  Americans^  the  remark  was 
made  that  it  was  to  Mr.  Woodbury's  enlarged  and  systematic 
views  as  to  the  proper  mode  of  filling  up  the  collection  of 
books  in  the  Library  of  Congress  that  it  owed  much  of  its 
utility  and  prosperity. 

To  this  "A  friend  to  Literature"  made  reply  in  the 
National  bitclligc7icer  December  5,  1834:  "It  is  believed  that 
during  the  short  period  Mr.  Woodbury  was  a  member  of  the 
committee  no  very  important  or  visible  improvement  was 
made  in  that  institution.  Nearly  the  same  class  of  books 
and  the  same  species  of  literature  continued  to  be  received." 

In  answer  to  this,  one  who  signed  himself  "A  Friend  to 
Truth,"  said  in  the  National  Intelligencer^  December  ii,"* 
''After  Mr.  Woodbury  became  a  member  of  the  committee  an 
alteration  did  take  place  in  the  general  system  of  filling  up 
the  Library,  and,  as  I  have  always  understood  and  have  no 
doubt,  at  the  instance  and  suggestion  of  that  gentleman. 

"The  change  was  this:  Instead  of  procuring  books  of  the 

'Ben:  Perley  Poore,  Reminiscences,  i:  176. 
'  National  Intelligencer,  Decembers,  1834. 
3 Philadelphia,  1835,  2:  265. 
*  National  Itilelligencer,  December  11,  1834. 


LIBRARY   COMMITTEE — WORK   AND   PLANS.  225 

character  and  iu  the  manner  stated  by  your  correspondent, 
it  was  resolved  by  the  committee  that  in  ordering  books  it 
should  be  a  paramount  consideration  to  procure  such  as 
would  render  the  Library  as  complete  as  possible  in  the 
branches  which  were  deemed  most  important  in  view  of  its 
great  object,  taking  them  up  in  the  order  of  their  relative 
utility,  as,  first,  parliamentary  works,  next  American  his- 
tory, and  so  on.  This  correct  principle  has  since  been  gen- 
erally pursued.  Whether  the  introduction  of  this  principle 
is  sufficient  to  justify  the  remark  made  in  the  National  Gal- 
lery the  public  will  determine." 

In  answer  to  this  "A  Friend  to  Literature"  said:  "I  call 
upon  Mr.  W.'s  eulogist  to  point  out  what  particular  works  of 
merit  were  added  to  the  Library  at  the  suggestion  of  the 
present  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  while  he  was  a  member  of 
the  committee.  The  works  mentioned  by  your  correspond- 
ent, or  a  large  part  of  them,  were  in  the  Library,  it  is 
believed,  before  Mr.  W.  had  anything  to  do  with  it.  If  the 
suggestion  of  Mr.  Bradley,  of  Vermont,  when  a  member  of 
the  committee,  to  whom  the  merit  attributed  by  your  corre- 
spondent to  Mr.  W.  belongs,  had  been  followed  it  would  ere 
this  have  been  vastly  more  valuable  and  complete  as  a  body 
of  literature  and  science  than  it  now  is  or  is  likely  soon  to 
be,  from  the  very  general  manner  in  which  the  books  are 
selected  and  purchased  by  the  committee.  His  plan  was  to 
fill  up  each  department  of  the  Library  in  succession  and  not 
purchase  promiscuously  and  add  a  few  to  all.  He  preceded 
Mr.  W.  several  years."'  The  history  of  this  controversy 
shows  that  other  members  of  the  committee  besides  the 
chairman  took  part  in  directing  the  policy  of  the  Library. 

The  executive  work  of  the  committee,  however,  was  usually 
delegated  to  the  chairman  or  to  subcommittees,  and  later,  to 
the  agents  of  the  committee  and  officers  of  the  Library.  This 
custom  may  be  illustrated  by  the  following  extracts  from  the 
minutes  of  the  committee: 

December  30,  1829:  ''Resolved,  That  the  chairman  of  the  Joint 
Library  Committee  be  authorized  to  pay  all  bills  for  periodical  publica- 
tions taken  by  the  authority  of  the  committee  for  the  Library." 

^National  Intelligencer,  January  5,  1835. 
23399—04 15 


226  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

January  9,  1830:  Catalogues  of  books  were  presented  from  Messrs. 
Carey  and  Hart,  of  Philadelphia,  from  Mr.  Pishey  Thompson,  and  by 
the  Librarian,  for  the  examination  of  the  Committee. 

'  'Resolved,  That  the  following-named  works,  or  such  of  them  as  are 
not  already  in  the  Library,  be  purchased:  The  Jurist  (a  periodical  pub- 
lished in  Boston),"     *     *     * 

''Resolved,  That  the  catalogues  received  from  Messrs.  Carey  and 
Hart,  etc.,  this  day  be  referred  to  Messrs.  Robbins  and  Verplanck;  and 
that  they  be  requested  to  make  further  selections  from  those  catalogues, 
and  report  at  the  next  meeting  of  the  committee. ' ' 

March  13,  1830:  "  Voted,  That  the  Hon.  Messrs.  Everett,  Verplanck, 
and  Wayne  be  a  subcommittee,  to  make  a  selection  of  books  to  be  pur- 
chased for  the  Library." 

May  21,  1830:  ''Resolved,  That  the  list  of  books  prepared  by  the  Com- 
mittee be  purchased  for  the  Library.  That  the  English  books  in  that 
list  be  purchased  by  Mr.  Obadiah  Rich,  in  London;  and  that  the  Amer- 
can  books  in  the  list  be  purchased  bj^  Mr.  Pishey  Thompson. 

"Resolved,  That  Mr.  Rich  be  authorized  to  purchase,  at  his  discre- 
tion, valuable  books  not  contained  in  the  Library  nor  in  said  list,  to  an 
amount  not  exceeding  ^100  sterling. 

"Resolved,  That  each  member  of  the  committee  be  authorized,  during 
the  recess,  to  purchase  to  the  amount  of  $50. ' ' 

January  12,  1833:  "  Voted,  That  Mr.  Everett  be  authorized  to  attend 
the  auction  sale  of  books  at  Mr.  Mauro's  room,  this  evening,  to  purchase 
books  on  account  of  the  Librar5\" 

May  8,  1844:  "Voted,  That  the  Hon.  Mr.  Marsh  be  requested  to 
examine  the  catalogue  of  books'  to  be  sold  at  auction  this  evening  b}^ 
Mr.  Morrison,  and  mark  such  as  may  be  advisable  to  purchase  for  the 
Library  of  Congress. ' ' 

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL   PLANS. 

The  history  of  the  controversy  between  the  "Friend  to 
Literature"  and  the  "Friend  to  Truth"  illustrates  further 
the  impossibility  of  drawing  up  a  bibliographical  programme 
which  the  committee  could  agree  upon,  or,  if  they  agreed, 
remain  in  agreement  upon.  It  would  have  been  possible,  by 
following  the  plan  proposed  by  Mr.  Bradley — of  filling  up 
each  department  of  the  Library  in  succession — to  have  built 
up  a  great  library.  Samuel  L.  Knapp  saw  this,  and  said  that 
under  the  proper  direction  the  annual  appropriation  of  $5,000 
might  be  so  utilized  as  to  make  the  Librar}'  in  twent}^  years 
one  of  the  first  libraries  in  the  world.*     It  might  even  have 

'The  library  of  Ithiel  Town. 

'Sketches  of  public  characters  (1830),  p.  118. 


LIBRARY    COMMITTEE — WORK   AND    PLANS.  227 

been  possible,  by  agreeing  further  to  buj-  great  collections  of 
books  as  opportunity  offered,  to  bave  made  the  Library  the 
first  of  the  great  libraries  of  the  world.  As  it  was,  however, 
some  were  not  interested  in  the  Librarj^  at  all,  others  were 
interested  in  that  part  of  the  Librar}^  only  which  was  of  direct 
or  immediate  use  to  them.  Dickerson  would  have  made  it  a 
librar}^  of  science;  Kverett,  on  the  other  hand,  would  have 
made  it  a  library  of  literature;  still  other  members  of  the 
committee  thought  it  necessar}^  to  cater  to  the  various  tastes 
and  peculiar  fancies  of  divers  and  many  members  of  Congress, 
members  of  the  diplomatic  corps,  heads  of  Departments, 
and  others  to  whom  the  privileges  of  the  Library  were 
extended,  who  wanted  anything  new,  and  everything,  if  pos- 
sible, entertaining.'  Onl}-  a  few  members  of  the  committee — 
onl}'  a  few  members  of  Congress — took  a  bibliographical 
interest  in  the  Library — cared  to  see  there  the  books  which 
had  interested  their  predecessors,  would  interest  their  succes- 
sors, and  were  of  interest  to  legislators  in  other  lands.  Few 
in  or  out  of  Congress,  indeed,  had  dreamed  the  dream  of  a 
national  library,  and  fewer  had  attempted  to  define  the 
functions  of  a  national  library.  The  result  was  that  while 
bibliographical  plans  for  the  Librarv^  were  drawn  up,  some 
of  which  even  received  the  formal  assent  of  the  committee, 
none  of  them  were  realized. 

The  first  of  these  plans  aimed  at  the  formation  of  a  Library 
universal  in  its  scope.  The  need  for  such  a  library  was 
enlarged  upon  in  the  following  communication  to  the  Natio7ial 
Intelligencer^  January  8,  1834:^ 

Messrs.  Editors: 

I  was  much  gratified,  a  day  or  two  since,  in  taking  a  survey  of  the 
Congress  Library,  to  see  how  many  valuable  works  it  contained,  and 
with  how  much  judgment  the  selections  had  been  made. 

But  I  was  also  not  a  little  surprised  to  learn  that  so  small  a  sum  as 
$5,000  a  year  was  all  that  was  appropriated  for  its  increase.     This  is 

^  National  Intelligencer,  Decembers,  1834. 

==  It  is  possible  that  this  was  written  by  Francis  Lieber,  for  in  his  diary,  December  8, 
1833,  he  says:  "Mr.  Peters,  recorder  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States, 
wishes  me  to  draw  up  a  report  to  get  a  large  appropriation  for  the  Congressional 
Library." — Life  and  letters  of  Francis  Lieber,  p.  98. 


228  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

hardl}'  suflBcient  to  obtain  the  new  works  of  merit  which  are  generally 
published,  and  is  altogether  inadequate  to  purchase  the  many  rare  and 
costly  books  which  should  be  found  in  every  such  library.  Why, 
Messrs.  Editors,  even  Harvard  University  expends  $5,000  per  annum 
on  its  library,  and  surely  we  ought  to  expect  a  powerful  and  wealthy 
nation  to  make  a  more  liberal  appropriation  than  a  mere  college. 

It  seems  particularly  desirable  that  we  should  have  in  our  country  at 
least  one  grand  and  extensive  library,  which  shall  contain  all,  or  nearly 
all,  the  works  that  may  be  wanted  for  reference  or  consultation  in  everj^ 
department  of  human  knowledge,  and  to  which  the  curious  and  learned 
may  have  easy  access.  Now,  it  is  very  evident  that,  if  we  are  ever  to 
have  such  a  library,  it  must  be  that  established  by  Congress,  for  the 
very  obvious  reason  that  there  is  not  a  single  literary  institution  in  our 
country  that  has  funds  sufficient  for  such  an  undertaking. 

Will  not  Congress,  then,  look  to  this  matter,  and  appropriate  here- 
after more  than  the  scanty  pittance  of  $5,000  for  this  noble  and  very 
important  object?  Considering  the  small  extent  of  the  Library  at 
present,  and  also  that  in  some  departments  (as  medicine  and  the  kindred 
branches),  it  contains  almost  nothing,  $20,000  annually  would  be  too 
little. 

Contrast  for  a  moment  the  advantages  enjoyed  by  the  European 
Literati  for  scientific  research  with  those  of  our  own  country.  It  is 
calculated  that  in  31  libraries  of  Germany  there  are  at  least  4,000,000 
volumes,  while  probably  the  31  largest  of  our  country  do  not  contain 
more  than  350,000.  The  University  of  Gottingen,  which  is  of  more 
recent  establishment  than  some  of  our  colleges,  contains  300,000,  the 
library  at  Leipzig  has  100,000,  Dresden  260,000,  and  4  at  Vienna 
present  an  aggregate  of  590,000  volumes. 

When  will  the  United  States,  the  boasted  land  of  civilization  and 
knowledge,  afford  to  its  students  such  facilities  for  the  advancement  of 
science  and  learning  as  these? 

This  need  was  again  referred  to  in  an  address  upon  the 
purposes  of  the  American  historical  society  delivered  before 
that  society  in  the  Hall  of  Representatives,  January  30,  1836, 
by  the  Hon.  Lewis  Cass,  at  that  time  Secretary  of  War. 
He  said: 

An  extensive  library  has  already  been  collected,  at  the  national  expense, 
which  contains  many  rare  and  valuable  works,  illustrating  our  general 
and  local  history.  This  collection  is  annually  augmented,  but  not  in 
proportion  to  the  great  means  of  the  nation.  There  should  be  one 
place  in  our  country  where  ever}'  work  may  be  found  which  has  any 
relation,  however  remote,  to  the  discovery,  settlement,  and  history  of 
America.     *     *     ^=     And  why  should  not  such  additions  be  made  to 


LIBRARY   COMMITTEE — WORK   AND   PLANS.  229 

this  collection,  in  all  the  departments  of  human  learning,  as  will  render 
it  worthy  of  the  age  and  country,  and  elevate  it  to  an  equality  with 
those  great  repositories  of  knowledge,  which  are  among  the  proudest 
ornaments  of  modern  Europe. 

In  consideration  of  this  need  the  committee,  March  i, 
1831— 

Resolved,  That  the  committee  procure  to  be  made  out  a  complete  cata- 
logue of  the  remains  of  literature  and  science  and  didactic  works  on  the 
arts  contained  in  the  ancient  Greek  and  Latin  languages;  and  also  a 
complete  catalogue  of  all  the  works  of  literature  and  science  in  the 
modern  languages,  viz,  English,  French,  Italian,  Spanish,  and  German, 
including  didactic  works  on  the  fine  arts,  but  excluding  works  of  pro- 
fessory  learning  and  on  the  mechanical  arts. 

Resolved,  That  the  labor  of  procuring  such  catalogues  be  distributed 
as  follows:  To  Mr.  Everett  the  catalogue  of  Greek  and  Latin  works, 

and  that  each  member  bring  his  account  of  expenditure 

on  this  subject,  for  audit  and  allowance,  to  be  paid  out  of  the  Library 
fund. 

Resolved,  That  the  committee  from  said  catalogue  will  make  out  a  list 
of  the  books  intended  to  be  purchased  for  the  Library,  progressively,  and 
as  fast  as  the  funds  will  permit. 

Resolved,  That  the  chairman  be  authorized  to  fill  up  the  blank  left  for 
the  distribution  of  labor  in  making  the  above-mentioned  catalogues. 

It  was  impossible  to  carry  out  such  a  programme  as  this. 
Mr.  Everett  might  select  Greek  and  Latin  works  as  long  as 
he  was  a  member  of  Congress,  but  who  was  to  succeed  him, 
and  who  were  to  select  the  English,  French,  Italian,  Spanish, 
and  German  works? 

Another  method,  however,  presented  itself;  it  might  in 
time  be  possible  to  gather  a  library  universal  in  scope  by 
purchasing,  as  opportunity  afforded,  the  book  collections  of 
specialists  in  the  different  branches  of  science  and  letters. 

The  first  opportunity  to  carry  out  this  plan  was  presented 
by  the  offer  of  the  Buturlin  library  to  Congress.  The  his- 
tory of  opinion  regarding  this  offer  and  of  the  measures  taken 
to  secure  this  magnificent  collection  is  as  follows: 

On  the  9th  of  February,  1836,  the  following  letter  from 
Richard  Henry  Wilde,  a  recent  member  of  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives, and  at  this  time  engaged  in  research  in  Florence 


230  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

upon  the  life  of  Tasso,  was  published  in  the  National  hitelli- 
ge7ice)': ' 

This  rich  and  curious  collection,  on  which  the  late  Count  de  Boutour- 
lin  employed  many  years  and  expended  upwards  of  a  million  of  francs,  is 
now,  in  consequence  of  his  death,  for  sale  in  Florence.  It  contains 
twenty-five  thousarid  printed  volumes,  embracing  the  earliest  and  richest 
specimens  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  classics  that  ever  issued  from  any 
press — the  Aldine  and  other  celebrated  editions — and  upwards  of  two 
hundred  a?id forty  manuscripts,  some  of  them  unique,  most  of  them  scarce 
and  cmious.  It  is  fullest  in  those  departments  in  which  the  Library  of 
Congress  is  deficient,  particularly  the  ancient  authors,  belles-lettres,  lit- 
erary history,  the  fine  arts,  and  the  standard  productions  of  France  and 
Italy.  The  number  of  English  books  is  small,  and  there  are  a  few  of 
the  books  that  would  be  duplicates.  These,  however,  might  readily  be 
sold  whenever  it  was  not  advisable  to  retain  both  on  account  of  their 
utility  or  the  difference  of  editions.  After  a  careful  examination  of  the 
books  and  the  catalogue  I  have  no  hesitation  in  saying,  so  far  as  my 
opinion  may  have  any  weight,  that  the  collection  is  a  most  admirable 
one  of  its  kind,  and  would  be  a  valuable  addition  to  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress. It  is  offered  for  fifteen  thousand  pounds  sterling,  but  I  think 
might  be  purchased  for  even  something  less,  perhaps  fifty  or  sixty  thou- 
sand dollars.  Payment  may  be  made,  if  desirable,  in  six,  eight,  or  ten 
years,  so  as  to  spread  the  appropriation  over  a  greater  length  of  time  and 
without  interest.  The  volumes  are  for  the  most  part  of  the  folio  or 
quarto  size,  of  excellent  typographical  execution,  of  ten  embellished  with 
plates,  all  in  perfect  preservation,  and  a  great  many  of  them  richly  bound. 
I  have  noted  a  few  of  them,  and  some  of  the  manuscripts  most  remarkable 
either  for  their  beauty  or  rarity." 

The  offer  of  this  collection  to  the  Government  was  hailed 
with  delight.     The  National  Gazette  said: 

As  there  is  now  every  reason  to  believe  that  we  shall  not  require  our 
surplus  funds  to  enable  us  to  entertain  our  ' '  ancient  friend  and  mag- 

' There  is  a  biographical  sketch  of  Mr.  Wilde  in  the  Literary  World  2:  234. 

=  Catalogue  de  la  bibliotheque  de  Son  Exc.  M.  le  Comte  D.  Boutourlin,  Florence, 
1831.  3  1.,  26,  156,  18,  13,  74,  26,  42,  50,  54  pp.,  1 1.  8°.  200  copies.  Contents:  Manu- 
scrits,  26  pp.;  Editions  du  XV  siecle:  avec  date,  sans  date,  opuscules  de  Savonarola, 
discours,  sermons,  etc.,  156  pp.;  collection  Aldine,  ou  recueil  d'6ditions  executees  a. 
Venise,  Bologne,  Rome,  Paris,  Lyon,  etc.,  par  les  Mannucci,  les  Torresani,  et  autres 
imprimeurs,  18  pp.;  collection  Bodonienne,  ou  recueil  d'dditions  excciitees  dans 
I'imprimerie  de  Jean-Baptiste  Bodoni,  de  Parme,  13  pp.;  classiques  italiens,  ou 
collection  de  livres  citds  par  I'Acad^mie  de  la  Crusca  et  de  ceux  indiqu(5s  par  Ganiba, 
Poggiali,  Colombo,  etc.,  comme  pouvant  servir  a  la  compilation  d'un  vocabulaire 
de  la  langue  italienne,  74  pp.;  th^ologie  et  histoire  eccl^siastique,  26  pp.;  sciences, 
arts  et  beaux-arts,  42  pp.;  belles-lettres  et  histoire  litt^raire,  50  pp.;  histoire: 
geographic,  voyages,  chronologic,  histoire,  antiquit^s,  biographic,  54  pp. 


NEED   OF   NATIONAL   LIBRARY — BUTURLIN   COLLECTION.      23I 

nanimous  ally"  over  the  water  with  the  music  of  guns  and  drums,  we 
can  not  perceive  how  the  small  outlay  demanded  for  the  objects  in  ques- 
tion could  be  better  applied  than  in  furnishing  a  choice  repast  on  which 
our  "bookworms"  may  banquet  until  the  end  of  time.  The  race  has 
increased  to  an  extent  which  may  well  entitle  it  to  some  manifestations 
of  kindness  from  our  National  Legislature,  and  it  must  continue  to 
increase  every  year.  The  gratitude  which  they  will  feel  towards  the 
authors  of  the  delight  afforded  them  by  the  possession  of  such  a  jewel  as 
the  Boutourlin  collection  will  be  rather  more  fervent  and  durable  than 
that  which  will  be  experienced  for  any  gift  which  may  be  bestowed  for 
the  party  objects  of  the  day.' 

The  North  American  Review^  in  an  extended  article  on 
libraries,  July,  1837,  said: 

What  public  library  in  this  country  contains  the  materials  for  an 
accurate  history  of  any  one  department  of  science?  Take  even  the  most 
limited,  or  rather  one  of  the  most  recent  of  all,  the  science  of  political 
economy.  Here  our  researches  are  confined  to  one  definite  period.  We 
have  no  dusty  archives  to  explore,  no  time-worn  manuscripts  to  decipher. 
The  origin  of  the  science  is  within  the  memory  of  our  fathers,  and  we 
ourselves  have  witnessed  its  sudden  growth  and  rapid  development.  Yet 
how  much  is  to  be  done,  how  many  authorities  to  be  weighed,  how  many 
different  treatises  to  be  analyzed  and  compared  before  we  can  venture  to 
say,  Here  is  the  history,  for  such  was  the  rise,  such  the  progress,  such 
the  changes  of  opinion,  such  the  received  and  such  the  rejected  theories 
of  political  economy!  The  writers  of  the  first  French  school,  of  the 
Scotch  school  (and  if  we  wish  for  history  we  must  go  beyond  the  pub- 
lication of  Adam  Smith's  great  work),  the  Italian,  the  new  French,  and 
the  new  English  schools — all  have  not  merely  a  claim  upon  our  attention, 
but  are  entitled  to  a  full  and  accurate  examination.  And  even  then  our 
task  would  be  incomplete,  for  literary  justice  would  require  us  to  trace, 
through  the  works  of  general  political  writers,  the  hints  and  remarks 
which  have  contributed  to  the  progress  of  the  branch  we  are  studying, 
by  the  discovery  of  truth  or  by  the  exposition  of  error. 

If  such  be  the  obligations  of  the  student,  whose  researches  are  con- 
fined to  a  subject  so  new,  what  must  be  the  necessities  of  the  historian 
who  attempts  to  throw  light  upon  those  periods  for  which  the  testimony 
of  printed  authorities  is  to  be  confronted  with  that  of  manuscripts  and 
public  documents,  and  where  ignorance  and  prejudice  have  combined  with 
the  more  powerful  incentives  of  interest  to  perplex  his  path  by  contra- 
dictory statements  and  conflicting  opinions!  It  has  been  said  that  the 
history  of  the  ' '  Decline  and  fall  of  the  Roman  Empire ' '  could  not  have 
been  written  in  America,  and  in  fact,  although  the  personal  fortune  of 
Gibbon  enabled  him  to  purcha.se  for  his  own  library  nearly  all  the  mate- 

'  Copied  by  Naliottal  Iu!t'liij^encet\  February  19,  1836. 


232  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

rials  which  he  employed  in  the  composition  of  his  great  work,  yet  he 
was  more  than  once  indebted  for  important  facts  and  views  to  the  great 
libraries  of  the  Continent.  Now,  most  of  the  works  by  means  of  which 
his  history  was  compiled  were  of  necessity  works  of  reference,  works 
which  few  perhaps  may  consult,  fewer  still  would  think  of  reading,  but 
which  nevertheless  supplj'  the  materials  for  our  richest  and  noblest 
instruction. 

If  it  be  said  that  the  class  of  readers  whose  wants  extend  to  works  of 
this  description  is  small,  we  would  reply  that  as  far  as  iVmerica  is  con- 
cerned it  is  true  at  the  present  moment,  but  that  ever}'  appearance  indi- 
cates a  great  and  speedy  augmentation  in  their  number.  The  present 
state  of  things  is  a  necessarj'  consequence  of  the  actual  condition  of  our 
literature.  Holding  a  distinguished  rank  in  several  branches,  there  are 
still  many  in  which  we  have  yet  accomplished  little  or  nothing.  There 
are  exceptions.  But  how  far  do  they  go,  and  what  is  the  true  character 
of  them?  The  very  best  life  of  Columbus  is  the  work  of  an  American, 
but  it  was  written  in  Spain.  The  ' '  History  of  the  Northmen "  is  a 
work  of  great  learning  and  research,  but  Mr.  Wheaton  collected  his 
materials  and  wrote  in  Europe,  with  all  the  advantages  of  a  high  public 
station.  These  cases,  therefore,  instead  of  making  against  us,  show  how 
great  a  change  has  taken  place  in  the  literary  aims  of  our  countrymen, 
and  how  rapidly  their  wants  are  extending  beyond  the  bounds  which 
individual  wealth  can  meet. 

How  far  is  our  community  prepared  to  supply  these  wants?  The  call 
for  a  sound  literature  is  universal,  and  there  is  no  one  who  understands 
the  real  state  of  the  country  who  does  not  perceive  how  promptly  the 
impulse  alreadj'  given  to  our  literature  in  some  departments  has  been 
followed  by  the  ambition  to  carry  out  the  work  into  other  branches.  A 
literaiy  class  is  gradually  forming  itself  into  a  distinct  order,  opening 
for  many  new  springs  of  wealth,  for  all  new  sources  of  enjoyment,  but 
still  dependent  upon  the  other  classes  of  society  for  its  subsistence  and 
its  success,  and  destined  to  form  for  them  a  literature  either  superficial 
and  ephemeral,  or  profound  and  durable,  in  exact  proportion  as  its  intel- 
lectual wants  are  neglected  or  supplied.  Of  the  nature  of  these  wants 
we  have  already  spoken.  Books  are  needed,  not  confined  to  an)'^  single 
branch,  but  embracing  the  whole  range  of  science  and  of  literature, 
which  shall  supply  the  means  of  every  species  of  research  and  inquirj', 
and  which,  placed  within  reach  of  all,  shall  leave  idleness  no  excuse  for 
the  lightness  of  its  labors,  and  poverty  no  obstacles  which  industry'  may 
not  surmount.  What  has  been  done,  or  what  is  doing,  toward  the  per- 
formance of  this  duty? 

No  reply  can  be  given  to  this  question  which  will  not  require  many 
limitations.  Much  has  been  done  at  Boston  and  at  Cambridge.  The 
Boston  Athenaeum  has  made  already  a  large  collection  of  valuable  works, 
and  follows,  we  believe,  though  perhaps  at  too  respectful  a  distance   the 


NEED   OE  NATIONAL  LIBRARY — BUTURLIN   COLLECTION.      233 

progress  of  the  literature  of  the  day.  The  Hbrary  of  Cambridge  is  of  a 
high  order.  Forty  thousand  volumes  of  printed  works  go  far  toward 
supplying  the  ordinary  wants  of  the  members  of  our  oldest  university. 
And  when  we  consider  the  care  and  judgment  with  which  a  large  part 
of  them  have  been  selected,  we  are  still  disposed  to  place  this  far  above 
man}'  of  the  European  libraries,  which,  in  a  numerical  point  of  view,  are 
vastly  its  superiors.  In  the  department  of  American  histor>'  it  is  the 
richest  in  the  world.  It  contains  the  choicest  works  of  English  litera- 
ture, and  it  is  pro\'ided  with  good  editions  of  the  classics  of  Greece  and 
Rome,  as  well  as  of  many  of  the  most  valuable  among  the  great  writers 
of  Italy,  Germany,  France,  and  Spain. 

The  Philadelphia  library  is  estimated  at  about  42,000  volumes. 
Among  these  there  is  a  considerable  proportion  of  valuable  articles,  and 
the  Spanish  department  is  uncommonly  complete.  The  New  York 
Athenaeum  has  25,000  volumes;  the  Library-  of  Congress  has  about 
20,000;  but  in  this  last,  if  we  except  the  law  library,  which,  though  too 
exclusive  in  its  character,  has  been  formed  upon  a  sounder  basis,  there 
are  far  too  many  of  those  trifling  productions  which,  after  the  year  of 
their  publication  is  over,  become  a  useless  burden  to  its  shelves.  Besides 
these,  there  are  libraries  in  many  of  our  cities,  and  each  of  our  univer- 
sities and  colleges  contains  a  collection  of  more  or  less  value  and  pretty 
well  adapted  to  the  wants  of  academic  students. 

The  general  regulations  of  these  libraries  do  not,  as  far  as  we  have 
been  able  to  learn,  differ  in  any  material  particulars.  With  few  excep- 
tions the  libraries  of  our  colleges  are  restricted  to  the  use  of  the  students, 
the  professors,  and  the  members  of  the  corporation  or  directors,  under 
whatever  name  they  may  be  classed;  none  of  these  are  supposed  to  study 
in  the  library  but  call  at  stated  hours  for  the  books  they  want,  and 
strangers  and  students  not  connected  with  the  institution  can  only 
obtain  books  by  a  special  concession  or  through  some  individual  of 
the  privileged  body.  The  other  libraries  are  generallj'  held  by  shares 
open  to  subscription. 

Such,  we  believe,  is  the  general  character  of  our  public  libraries. 
And  here  we  may  be  allowed  to  renew  the  question,  How  far  do  they 
meet  the  wants  of  our  community? 

Whoever  reflects,  though  but  for  a  moment,  upon  the  numerous 
branches  into  which  modern  literature  runs  and  remembers  that  the 
literary  glor>^  of  a  nation  can  only  be  secured  by  a  certain  degree  of 
success  in  each  of  them;  whoever  considers  the  immense  mass  of  varied 
materials,  without  which  no  historical  work  of  importance  can  be  com- 
posed, or  the  extensive  learning  which  is  required  of  even  the  most 
gifted  genius  of  an  age  like  ours,  and  adds  to  these  considerations  the 
general  and  undeniable  fact  that  of  those  who  would  gladly  devote  them- 
selves to  literature  but  a  few  can  ever  hope  to  obtain  by  their  own 
resources  the  command  of  the  works  that  are  essential  to  the  successful 


234  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

prosecution  of  their  studies,  will  be  ready  to  acknowledge  that  we  have 
as  yet  done  but  a  small  part  of  what  may  be  justly  claimed  from  a 
nation  which  aspires  to  the  first  rank  for  the  liberality  and  politeness 
and  high  moral  tone  of  its  civilization.  Late,  however,  as  we  are  to 
begin,  scarce  anything  in  this  department  has  been  accomplished  in 
Europe  which  might  not  be  done  with  equal  success  in  America.  And 
so  numerous  and  manifest  are  our  advantages  in  .some  important  par- 
ticulars that  a  prompt  will  and  sound  judgment  in  the  execution  of  it 
might,  in  the  course  of  a  very  few  years,  render  the  American  student 
nearly  independent  of  those  vast  collections  which,  in  Europe,  have 
required  centuries  for  their  formation.  The  undertaking,  however,  in 
order  to  be  successful  should  be  a  national  one.  Without  urging  that 
no  State  is  fully  equal  to  it,  or  that  in  the  hands  of  any  single  State  it 
would  not  answer  the  same  purpose,  we  may  be  permitted  to  say  that 
the  enlargement  of  the  Library  of  Congress  upon  those  broad  prin- 
ciples, the  application  of  which  to  the  collection  of  books  has  become  a 
difl&cult  and  important  art,  would  reflect  an  honor  upon  the  country 
equal  to  the  permanent  advantages  which  it  would  secure  to  every 
member  of  the  community. 

The  first  class  in  such  an  institution  should  be  devoted  to  national 
history.  And  here,  although  we  have  neglected  to  do  what  might  easily 
have  been  done  a  few  years  ago,  yet  it  is  still  in  our  power  to  do  more 
than  any  nation  has  ever  done  for  its  own  history.  The  purchase  of 
the  manuscripts  of  Washington  was  the  first  step.  The  papers  of  Mr. 
Madison  are  another  valuable  acquisition.  Were  these  to  be  followed 
up  by  the  purchase  of  the  papers  of  the  other  distinguished  men  of  our 
Revolution,  what  a  body  of  invaluable  documents  would  be  brought 
together  for  the  historians  of  the  country!  No  individual,  no  single 
State  could  accomplish  an  undertaking  like  this.  But  the  voice  of 
Congress  would  be  heard  in  every  part  of  the  Union;  and  with  whatever 
veneration  these  relics  might  be  regarded,  and  however  unwilling  their 
owners  might  feel  to  intrust  them  to  the  hands  of  an  individual,  or  to 
the  library  of  any  State  institution,  gladly  would  they  meet  the  first 
offers  of  Congress,  and  feel  as  if  they  had  performed  their  duty  toward 
their  ancestors,  by  placing  within  a  sure  asylum  the  best  records  of  their 
worth  and  the  materials  from  which  posterity  will  raise  the  most  durable 
monument  to  their  glory.  If  the  same  course  were  to  be  pursued  with 
regard  to  the  other  public  men  of  our  country;  if  the  private  papers  of 
our  Presidents,  or,  to  avoid  an  enumeration  of  which  it  is  easier  to  find 
the  beginning  than  the  end,  if  the  papers  of  all  those  men  whose  lives 
will  form  an  integral  part  of  American  history  were  collected  in  the 
same  archives,  instead  of  being  left  to  the  chances  of  preservation  or 
destruction,  to  which  they  are  inevitably  exposed  while  passing  through 
the  hands  of  heirs  dififering  in  their  tastes  and  pursuits,  a  large  and 
perhaps  the  most  valuable  portion  of  our  hi.story  would  be  placed  beyond 
the  control  of  chance  and  the  influence  of  those  casualties  which  have 


NEED   OF   NATIONAL   LIBIL\RY — BUTURLIN   COLLECTION.      235 

involved  so  man}'  portions  of  European  history  in  impenetrable  obscurity. 
Many  important  documents  also  which,  for  fear  of  premature  publication, 
are  now  likely  to  be  destroyed  would  be  readily  intrusted  to  a  public  and 
responsible  institution,  which  should  undertake  to  withhold  them  from 
every  eye  until  the  proper  moment  for  making  them  public  had  arrived. 
What  collection  of  manuscripts  could  compare  with  such  a  collection 
as  this?  What  parchment,  however  venerable  from  the  dust  of  ages, 
could  awaken  emotions  like  those  with  which  we  should  contemplate  the 
original  records  of  the  events  which  interest  us  most,  prepared  during 
the  hurry  of  action  and  in  the  hour  of  trial,  and  speaking  to  us,  as  it 
were,  with  the  very  tones  of  the  epoch  which  they  commemorate? 

Another  important  source  of  history  is  supplied  by  the  industry  of  our 
historical  societies.  Many  of  the  documents  which  they  collect  must, 
from  their  nature,  remain  in  the  archives  of  the  societies;  but  all  the 
published  volumes,  which,  in  many  cases,  form  valuable  accessions  not 
merely  to  the  materials  for  our  history,  but  to  our  historical  literature, 
might  be  regularly  transmitted  to  the  Library  of  Congress  and  deposited 
in  the  class  of  national  history.  And  this  circumstance  itself  might  per- 
haps contribute  to  awaken  new  energy  in  those  societies  which  languish 
for  want  of  encouragement  or  of  that  stimulus  which  a  consciousness 
that  an  attentive  public  is  watching  their  course  never  fails  to  impart. 
In  this  manner  the  history  of  the  past  would  be  secured  upon  the  evi- 
dence of  incontrovertible  and  characteristic  documents,  while  that  of  the 
present  and  of  the  future  would  be  placed  under  the  sure  protection  of 
the  pride  and  emulation  of  rival  bodies, 

For  the  other  departments  of  our  Library,  our  chief  dependence  would 
necessarily  be  placed  on  the  acquisition  of  books  from  Europe,  both  by 
the  direct  purchase  of  private  libraries  and  the  subsequent  collection  of 
such  works  as  are  not  to  be  found  in  private  sales.  The  first  of  these 
methods,  as  we  have  already  shown,  has  ever  proved  the  surest  method 
of  important  and  extensive  acquisitions.  It  was  thus  that  nearly  58,000 
printed  volumes  and  800  manuscripts  were  added,  at  different  epochs,  to 
the  Imperial  Library  of  Vienna.  No  other  part,  perhaps,  of  that  immense 
collection  can  be  compared  with  this,  whether  we  consider  the  choice 
and  elegance  of  the  editions  or  the  taste  and  learning  with  which  the 
works  themselves  were  selected.  It  will  be  long  before  such  opportu- 
nities can  become  frequent  in  America;  but  they  still  occur  from  time 
to  time  in  Europe.  When  the  50,000  volumes  which  the  library'  of  Sir 
James  Mackintosh  is  said  to  have  contained  passed  under  the  hammer, 
what  an  occasion  was  offered  for  laying  the  foundation  of  a  perfect 
library!  We  have  never  seen  the  catalogue  of  that  sale  nor  heard  the 
price  at  which  it  was  made;  but  no  one  acquainted  with  the  cast  of 
Mackintosh's  mind  and  the  extent  and  variety  of  his  acquisitions  can 
doubt  that  his  library  was  nearly  complete  in  some  departments,  and 
highly  valuable  in  all.     Here  the  purchase  of  the  whole  collection  would 


236  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

have  secured,  for  a  moderate  price,  many  things  which  can  not  be 
obtained  separately  but  at  a  great  and  even  extravagant  one. 

The  library  of  Count  Boutourlin,  which  has  been  recently  offered  to 
Congress,  is  a  parallel  case.  It  is  smaller  than  that  of  Sir  J.  Mackintosh, 
for  it  contains  barely  24,000  volumes.  Yet  in  these  24,000  the  scholar 
will  find  ample  materials  for  the  gratification  of  his  curiosity  in  some  of 
the  most  interesting  branches  of  literature. 

The  Count  Boutourlin  deserves  to  be  classed  among  the  most  intelli- 
gent and  industrious  of  European  bibliophilists.  During  the  course  of 
a  long  life  he  formed  two  of  the  most  remarkable  libraries  ever  collected 
by  a  private  individual.  The  first  was  destroyed  in  the  conflagration  of 
Moscow.  The  second  is  still  in  the  hands  of  his  famil}'.  This  last  was 
made  in  Ital}',  and  with  the  concurrence  of  several  peculiarly  favorable 
circumstances.  Many  books  and  manuscripts  which  had  hitherto  been 
inaccessible  to  any  purchaser  had  been  put  into  circulation  by  some 
changes  connected  with  the  political  revolutions  of  the  country,  without 
being  brought  into  the  ordinary  course  of  trade.  Other  works  of  great 
value  were  exposed  for  sale,  but  in  that  indirect  manner  well  known 
to  the  amateurs  of  rare  books  and  paintings  in  Italy.  The  extensive 
pecuniary  resources  of  Count  Boutourlin  enabled  him  to  avail  himself  of 
these  opportunities,  and  his  profound  knowledge  of  bibliography  secured 
him  from  imposition.  The  purchase  of  a  private  library,  which  had  been 
originally  formed  after  the  suppression  of  some  of  the  old  convents  of 
Tuscany,  gave  him  the  basis  of  his  new  collection  and  put  him  in  posses- 
sion of  some  of  the  rarest  articles  which  it  contains.  The  remainder 
was  the  work  of  a  patience  and  assiduity  seldom,  if  ever,  surpassed. 
Nearly  every  article  was  a  personal  purchase.  Manj'  were  brought  to 
him  in  sheets,  others  merely  divested  of  their  original  binding.  These 
were  to  be  numbered,  and  subjected,  in  short,  to  that  rigorous  examina- 
tion by  which  the  skillful  bibliophilist  distinguishes  the  really  rare  from 
spurious  editions.  Thus,  unwearied  in  his  labors  and  unsparing  in 
his  expenditures,  he  continued  to  the  last  years  of  life  daily  adding  to 
his  collection,  and  has  left  behind  him  a  monument  of  taste  and  skill 
which  an}'  bibliophilist  might  envy.     *     *     *     » 

Job  R.  Tyson,  esq.,  in  an  address  before  the  Athenian 
Institute  and  Mercantile  Library  Company  of  Philadelphia, 
April  13,  1838,  referring  to  the  need  of  the  establishment  of 
a  national  library  and  to  the  offer  of  the  Buturlin  collection, 
said: 

However  learning  and  genius  have  added  to  the  national  fame,  par- 
tiality itself  must  admit  that  little  active  aid  has  been  contributed  from 

^  North  Afnerican  RevieWy  July,  1837,  pp.  137-143.  This  article  was  written  by 
George  Washington  Greene,  United  States  consul  at  Rome,  at  the  suggestion  of  Mr. 
Wilde.     It  is  reprinted  in  Greene's  Historical  studies  (1850),  pp.  277-322, 


NEED   OF   NATIONAL   LIBRARY — BUTURLIN   COLLECTION.       237 

the  public  bounty.  Astronomical  science  yet  asks  for  an  observ^atory 
and  the  National  Library  languishes  for  the  want  of  encouragement. 
When  we  compare  the  pigmy  collections  of  Philadelphia  and  Cambridge, 
the  largest  libraries  in  this  country,  with  the  magnificent  cabinets  of 
Paris,  Vienna,  London,  and  many  others,  it  need  not  be  concealed  that 
the  national  pride  receives  a  wound.  In  the  various  departments  of 
history  except  domestic,  modern  literature  and  science,  our  collections 
do  not  embrace  all  which  the  wants  of  the  learned  student  demand. 
The  life  of  Columbus,  by  Irving,  a  work  destined  to  imperishable  fame, 
could  not,  from  the  absence  of  materials,  have  been  written  in  America. 
Mr.  Wheaton  could  not  have  brought  to  completion  his  learned  and 
elegant  history  of  the  Northmen  except  in  Europe.  The  admirable 
work  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  by  Mr.  Prescott,  though  written  on  this 
side  of  the  Atlantic,  was  chiefly  dependent  for  its  materials  on  the  other. 
The  library  of  Philadelphia  is  upward  of  a  century  old.  Its  late 
highly  intelligent  librarian  computes  the  present  number  of  volumes  at 
46,000,  a  number  exceeding,  it  is  true,  any  other  library  on  this  side  of 
the  Atlantic,  but  not  commensurate  with  the  growing  wants  of  the  lit- 
erature and  science  of  the  city.  The  Royal  Library  of  Paris  less  than 
half  a  century  ago  numbered  only  80,000  printed  volumes  and  manu- 
scripts. It  now  presents  in  its  totality  upward  of  700,000  volumes. 
The  British  Museum,  founded  long  since  the  establishment  of  the 
Philadelphia  Library,  now  amounts  to  240,000  volumes.  The  value  of 
a  library,  it  is  true,  does  not  depend  upon  its  numerical  superiority 
alone;  but  there  is  no  doubt,  from  the  bibliographical  knowledge  which 
guards  the  Royal  Library  of  Paris  and  the  British  Museum,  that  the 
excellence  of  their  contents  is  in  proportion  to  their  number. 

It  becomes  a  wi;  e  and  enlightened  people,  intent  upon  a  high  destiny, 
to  adopt  the  means  necessary  to  subserv-e  it.  It  was  one  evidence  of 
decay  that  in  the  luxurious  age  of  the  Roman  Empire  the  reading  of 
Roman  senators  was  confined  to  Marius  Maximus  and  Juvenal.  In  a 
country  in  which  native  energy  has  not  been  debilitated  by  luxury; 
where  mind,  untrammeled,  roves  with  perpetual  activity,  explores  new 
regions  of  thought,  and  penetrates  new  sources  of  truth  and  intelligence; 
where  every  man  is  a  reader  and  all  have  a  keen  appetite  for  knowledge, 
the  means  should  be  multiplied  commensurately  with  its  importance  and 
necessity.  Without  dwelling  longer  upon  a  theme  which  might  be 
amplified  by  so  many  reflections,  it  is  enough  to  say  that  no  act  would 
confer  higher  literary  glory  upon  the  United  States  than  adding  to  the 
treasuries  of  its  Public  Library.  The  Government  of  France  requires  a 
copy  to  be  deposited  in  the  Royal  Library  of  every  work  which  is  issued 
from  the  press  throughout  the  kingdom.  A  similar  regulation  obtains 
in  Austria  and  Russia  for  the  benefit  of  the  royal  libraries  of  Vienna  and 
vSt.  Petersburg.  From  the  operation  of  so  wise  and  salutary  a  provision 
these  libraries  are  monuments  of  honor  and  renown  to  those  despotic 


238  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

nations.  The  British  Museum,  which  has  proved  in  England  the  great 
nursery  of  merit,  the  Hght  of  genius,  the  ladder  to  eminence,  has  been 
fostered  by  the  same  liberality,  aided  by  the  direct  munificence  of  the 
sovereign.  Congress  has  already  purchased  the  papers  of  Washington 
and  Madison.  It  could  present  adequate  inducements  to  private  persons 
for  the  opening  of  their  private  cabinets,  in  which  are  deposited  those 
documents  which  are  so  material  to  illustrate  our  national  historj^  and 
transmit  our  national  fame.  It  could  enact  a  law  similar  to  those  which 
augment  the  libraries  of  France  and  England,  Austria  and  Russia.  It 
could  enrich  the  present  collection  by  a  purchase  now  offered  to  its 
acceptance  of  the  greatest  treasure  of  one  of  the  greatest  bibliopolists  of 
this  bibliothecal  age.' 

The  legislative  history  of  the  proposition  to  purchase  the 
Biiturlin  collection  was  different.  On  the  i8th  of  February, 
1836,  Mr.  Preston  submitted  to  the  Senate  a  resolution  direct- 
ing the  Committee  on  the  Library  to  inquire  into  the  expedi- 
enc}'  of  purchasing  the  library  of  the  late  Count  Buturlin, 
of  Florence.^  On  the  19th  the  resolution  was  taken  up  for 
consideration.  Mr.  Preston  said  that  this  library  had  been 
examined  by  a  late  and  distinguished  member  of  Congress 
from  Georgia  (Mr.  Wilde),  who  was  a  gentleman  of  great  lit- 
erary attainments,  and  eminently  qualified  to  judge  of  its 
value,  and  who  had  strongly  recommended  to  this  country 
the  purchase  of  it.  It  was  worth  much  more  than  it  was 
offered  for.  He  (Mr.  Preston)  believed  there  was  no  differ- 
ence of  opinion  in  regard  to  the  great  value  of  it,  and  that  it 
would  be  a  proper  acquisition  to  the  Library  of  Congress. 
An  opportunity  would  never  perhaps  occur  again  to  purchase 
such  a  collection.  It  was  by  mere  accident  that  this  oppor- 
tunity had  presented  itself. 

Mr.  Webster  also  had  a  high  opinion  of  the  great  value 
of  this  library.  It  was  one  of  those  collections  rarely  found, 
and  such  as  he  believed  did  not  exist  in  any  library  of  any  of 
the  United  States,  private  or  public.  He  understood  the 
expense  would  not  be  very  great.  He  thought  this  was  a 
favorable  opportunity  to  make  a  valuable  addition,  if  Con- 
gress saw  fit  to  make  such  addition  to  their  Library. 

I       'Hazard's  Commercial  and  Statistical  Register  1:  221-222;  Waldie's  Circulating 
Library  12:  225-228. 

'  Register  of  debates  in  Congress,  12:  578. 


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Ilislorv  of  till-  Library  of  Congress,  vol.  i,  plate  17. 


NEED    OF   NATIONAL   LIBRARY — BUTURLIN   COLLECTION.       239 

The  resolution  was  then  adopted.' 

On  the  14th  of  March  Mr.  Preston,  from  the  Committee 
on  the  Library,  made  a  report,  which  was  ordered  to  be 
printed.  In  this  report,  after  speaking  of  the  history  of  the 
Librar}'  of  Congress,  he  goes  on  to  describe  its  existing 
condition: 

Since  the  destruction  of  the  Library  in  1814,  [he  said,]  $99,950  had 
been  expended  in  the  purchase  of  books.  The  whole  number  of  volumes 
in  the  Library,  exclusive  of  Congressional  documents  and  laws  of  the 
United  States,  was  about  24,000,  so  that  the  Library  had  thus  cost 
about  $4  a  volume.  Of  the  24,000  volumes  thus  purchased  there  were 
about  6,000  volumes  in  other  languages  than  English,  of  which  4,083 
were  in  French,  844  in  Latin,  314  in  Spanish,  268  in  Italian,  281  in 
Greek  and  Latin,  66  in  Greek,  29  in  Chinese,  13  in  Saxon,  12  in  German, 
and  52  in  all  other  languages,  ancient  and  modern. 

******* 

In  the  additions  which  the  joint  committee  have  purchased  with  the 
annual  appropriations  made  to  the  Library,  they  seem  to  have  been  gov- 
erned by  the  practical  declaration  of  its  intention  made  by  Congress  in 
the  purchase  of  Mr.  Jefferson's  library.  They  had  to  build  it  up  on 
this  most  various  and  miscellaneous  foundation,  and  in  the  absence  of 
any  specific  instructions  in  regard  to  its  character  (while  they  have  had 
a  special  view  to  the  peculiar  wants  of  Congress),  have  made  additions 
to  the  original  stock  in  all  the  branches  of  general  science  and  literature. 
The  primary  object  in  instituting  the  Library  unquestionably  was  to 
afford  to  members  of  Congress  the  means  of  knowledge  necessary  for 
the  intelligent  discharge  of  their  official  business.  It  is  very  difficult  to 
prescribe  bounds  to  the  demands  which  may  be  made  for  books  in  every 
branch  of  learning  by  the  multifarious  subjects  brought  before  Congress 
and  its  committees.  "There  is  no  subject,"  Mr.  Jefferson  says,  "to 
which  a  member  of  Congress  may  not  have  occasion  to  refer. ' '  The  abso- 
lute necessity  of  Congress  .suggested  the  Library,  the  utility  of  extending 
it  beyond  actual  necessities  early  become  apparent,  and  erecting  an  insti- 
tution upon  these  foundations  it  was  competent  to  Congress  to  extend 
and  adorn  it  in  reference  to  the  dignity  and  opulence  of  the  Government. 
As  it  was  manifestly  proper  that,  in  the  erection  of  the  public  buildings, 
vastness  and  elegance  should  be  united  with  utility  and  comfort,  so  these 
qualities  may  be  fitl}^  consulted  in  whatever  is  required  to  be  done  for 
the  use  and  accommodation  of  the  Government.  The  public  buildings 
have  been  erected  at  a  cost  of  $6,000,000,  and,  in  many  instances,  with 
an  elaborate  display  of  architectural  ornament,  intended  to  gratify  and 
perhaps  to  improve  the  public  taste,  or  to  indulge  a  just  national  pride. 

•Register  of  debates  in  Congress,  12:  578. 


240  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

With  the  same  feeHngs  Congress  has  not  hesitated  to  make  requisitions 
upon  the  arts  of  sculpture  and  painting.  This  enlightened  and  liberal 
regard  to  the  gratification  of  the  tastes  and  elegant  improvement  of  the 
country,  though  made  secondary  by  the  nature  of  the  Government  to 
other  objects,  is  not  without  great  importance.  It  is  not  a  substantive 
power  of  Congress  to  furnish  means  of  knowledge  or  models  of  taste, 
but,  in  the  necessary  and  proper  arrangements  of  its  establishment,  they 
may  and  ought  to  be  so  extended  or  modified  as  to  contribute  to  both 
these  objects.  A  library  is  necessary;  that  it  should  have  a  certain 
degree  of  completeness  and  elegance  is  as  proper  as  that  the  shafts  of  the 
columns  around  the  halls  should  be  polished  or  surmounted  by  a  capital, 
and  the  remark  applies  with  greater  force  to  the  Library,  not  only  on 
account  of  the  superior  value  of  learning,  but  on  account  also  of  the 
great  destitution  of  the  means  of  knowledge  in  a  country  as  new  as  the 
United  States. 

In  all  the  public  libraries  of  the  United  States,  including  those  of 
schools  and  colleges  throughout  our  wide  territory  and  counting  all  the 
duplicates,  there  are  not  as  many  books  as  are  contained  in  the  Bibliotheque 
du  Roi  in  Paris.  It  is  a  very  large  calculation  to  estimate  all  our  libraries 
at  400,000  volumes,  and  of  these  there  are  not  more  than  50,000  distinct 
works.  In  Paris  there  are  1,200,000  books  deposited  in  public  libraries, 
and  in  all  France  4,200,000.  In  Germany  the  reading  public  is  still 
more  liberally  provided  with  books.  The  whole  number  of  printed  vol- 
umes of  distinct  works  in  the  world  may  be  estimated  at  600,000;  of 
these  there  is  certainly  not  more  than  one-tenth  in  the  United  States. 
Our  whole  body  of  literature,  if  collected  in  one  place,  would  not  afford 
the  means  of  investigating  one  point  of  science  or  literature  on  it.  Here 
where  the  foundations  of  the  Government  repose  upon  the  aggregate 
intelligence  of  the  citizens,  the  assistance  afforded  by  public  institutions 
to  the  exertions  of  intellect  is  but  one-tenth  of  that  within  the  reach  of 
the  mind  of  civilized  Europe. 

Besides  private  libraries  of  much  greater  extent  than  the  greatest 
public  collection  in  this  country,  there  are  in  many  of  the  German  towns 
collections  of  from  100,000  to  250,000.  The  number  of  books  in  public 
libraries  in  Germany  are  to  the  population  as  one  to  ten;  in  the  United 
States  as  one  to  forty.  And  this  disparity  is  still  more  striking  if  we 
compare  the  means  of  knowledge  within  the  reach  of  the  functionaries 
of  this  Government  with  those  which  are  furnished  at  the  principal 
capitals  of  Europe. 

London  and  Paris,  of  course,  are  replete  with  means  of  knowledge, 
which  would  require  much  time  even  to  enumerate;  but  it  may  be  stated 
that  there  are  in  the  British  Museum,  besides  its  rich  and  vast  collections 
of  art,  180,000  volumes  and  60,000  manuscripts. 

The  Royal  Library  in  Paris  has  between  400,000  and  500,000;  Royal 
Library  at  Berlin,  200,000;  Imperial  Librar>'  at  St.  Petersburg,  300,000; 
Imperial  Library  at  Vienna,  300,000;   the  Vatican,  400,000,  print  and 


NEED   OF   NATIONAL  LIBRARY — BUTURLIN   COLLECTION.      24 1 

manuscripts;  at  Stuttgart,  120,000;  at  Copenhagen,  250,000.  In  short, 
it  would  not  be  going  too  far  to  say  that  there  is  not  a  Government  in 
Europe,  down  to  its  principahties  and  dukedoms,  which  has  not  provided 
its  functionaries  with  more  ample  means  of  useful,  elegant  knowledge 
than  ours.  We  do  not,  however,  ascertain  our  wants  merely  by  a  com- 
parison with  the  abundance  of  other  Governments.  The  experience  of 
members  of  Congress  has  taught  them  how  often  their  inquiries  are 
arrested  by  the  want  of  books.  No  day  elapses  during  the  session  of 
Congress  that  there  is  not  a  call  for  many  volumes  which  can  not  be  fur- 
nished. On  a  recent  occasion  the  Senate's  Committee  on  the  Judiciary, 
in  the  investigation  of  an  important  question  regarding  the  boundary  of 
a  State,  was  compelled  to  borrow  the  necessary  materials  from  colleges 
and  societies  at  a  distance  from  the  seat  of  government. 

Whether  it  be  proper  for  Congress  to  remedy  in  some  degree  these 
defects  by  the  purchase  of  the  library  of  the  late  Count  Boutourlin  at 
Florence  is  the  inmiediate  subject  of  the  committee's  consideration,  and 
they  are  not  without  difficulty  in  coming  to  a  satisfactory-  conclusion. 
This  collection  consists  of  25,000  volumes,  of  which  a  catalogue  has  been 
before  the  committee,  and  other  information  in  regard  to  it  has  been  fur- 
nished by  an  intelligent   and  public-spirited  gentleman,    lately  of  the 
House  of  Representatives.     The  collection  was  made  under  the  most 
favorable  auspices  during  the  French  war  in  Italy,  when  the  monasteries 
and  all  the  depositories  of  art  and  literature  were  thrown  open  to  the 
plunder  of  invading  troops  or  exposed  to  the  purchase  or  acquisition  of 
pubhc  agents  or  wealthy  private  collectors.     To  this  last  class  belonged 
the  Count  Boutourlin.     At  the  price  of  a  million  of  francs  and  with 
many  years  of  enthusiastic  industry  he  made  the  present  collection,  which 
is  perhaps  richer  and  more  valuable  in  its  kind  than  any  which  is  now  or 
can  be  expected  to  be  hereafter  on  sale  in  the  world.     It  is  especially 
rich  in  that  species  of  literature  which  can  be  scarcely  said  to  exist  in 
this  country,  for  neither  the  Library  of  Congress  nor  any  of  the  public 
or  private  libraries  of  the  United  States  possess  anything  in  bibliography 
beyond  an  occasional  specimen,  or  of  that  noble  literature  (the  whole 
body  of  which  is  contained  in  this  collection)  which  was  the  first  that 
came  into  existence  upon  the  revival  of  learning,  awakening  the  genius 
of  modern  Europe  and  inspiring  new  views  of  literature  from  Chaucer  to 
Milton. 

The  catalogue  presents  a  complete  collection  of  the  Italian  classics,  as 
designated  as  such  by  the  Academy  Delia  Crusca,  a  collection  so  com- 
plete as  perhaps  to  leave  nothing  to  be  added.  It  contains  also  a  very 
full  collection  of  the  ancient,  especially  the  Latin,  cla.ssics,  leaving  little 
more  to  be  desired  in  this  department.  There  are  419  copies  of  Aldine 
editions,  368  from  the  Bodoni  press,  many  hundred  volumes  printed  in 
the  fifteenth  century,  and  many  others  illustrative  of  the  early  achieve- 
ments of  typography  and  its  progress  to  perfection. 
23399—04 16 


242  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,   1829-1851. 

The  library  also  contains  many  valuable  manuscripts.  In  the  preface 
to  the  catalogue  it  is  said  that  there  are  ' '  very  few  private  libraries  which 
present  such  a  collection  of  valuable  books,  as  well  manuscript  as  printed, 
and  in  such  perfect  preserv^ation,"  and  less  questionable  testimony  is 
given  to.  the  same  effect  by  the  gentleman  above  referred  to.  After  an 
attentive  examination,  and  writing  from  the  spot,  he  says:  "  It  contains 
about  25,000  printed  volumes,  embracing  the  earliest  and  richest  speci- 
mens of  the  Greek  and  Latin  classics  that  were  issued  from  any  press, 
the  Aldine  and  other  celebrated  editions,  and  upward  of  240  manuscripts, 
some  of  them  unique,  most  of  them  scarce  and  curious.  It  is  most  com- 
plete in  those  departments  in  which  the  Librar}'  of  Congress  is  most 
deficient,  particularly  the  ancient  authors,  belles-lettres,  literary  history, 
the  fine  arts,  and  the  standard  productions  of  France  and  Italy.  After 
a  careful  examination  of  the  books  and  catalogue  I  have  no  hesitation  in 
saying,  so  far  as  my  opinion  has  any  weight,  that  the  collection  is  a 
mo.st  desirable  one  of  its  kind,  and  would  be  a  valuable  addition  to  the 
Library  of  Congress. ' " 

The  25,000  volumes  are  offered  at  fifty  or  sixty  thousand  dollars.  The 
25,000  now  in  the  Library  have  cost  $100,000,  and  it  will  alwaj^s  happen 
that  the  books  bought  by  retail  will  cost  a  great  deal  more  than  when 
purchased  in  large  collections.  In  the  collection  of  this  library,  the  com- 
mittee is  informed  by  Mr.  Wilde,  the  founder  expended  a  million  of 
francs  upon  it,  or  nearl}^  $250,000.  If  it  be  the  pleasure  of  Congress  to 
add  this  collection  to  its  Library,  the  whole  number  of  volumes  will  be 
about  50,000,  and  of  them  about  one-half  will  be  in  our  own  language, 
and  the  others  in  foreign,  ancient,  and  modern  languages.  It  will  add 
several  thousand  duplicates  in  French,  Spanish,  Italian,  and  Latin,  which 
might  either  be  sold  without  loss  or  exchanged  for  works  in  English. 

The  number  of  works  in  foreign  languages  would  form  an  insuperable 
objection  to  the  purchase  if  it  was  intended  that  the  Librar}'  should  be 
completed  by  it;  but  this  the  committee  by  no  means  believe  to  be  the 
intention  of  Congress,  and  when  the  collection  shall  consist  of  100,000 
or  150,000  volumes,  30,000  or  40,000  in  foreign  languages  may  not  be 
an  undue  proportion  when  it  is  considered  that  not  a  fourth  of  the  litera- 
ture of  the  world  is  in  our  own  language;  still,  however,  this  purchase 
will  unquestionably  give  for  the  present  an  undue  proportion  to  the 
literature  of  the  Italian  language  over  that  of  other  foreign  languages, 
especially  the  French  and  German.  In  the  German  language  the  Library 
contains,  at  present,  twelve  works,  and  the  proposed  purchase  makes 
but  inconsiderable  additions  to  them;  and  the  number  of  books  in  the 
French  language,  whose  literature  is  more  extensive  than  that  of  any 
other,  and  the  knowledge  of  which  is  most  extensively  diffused,  is  left 
entirely  too  .small. 

In  Latin,  Greek,  and  Italian  the  Boutourlin  library  would  make  the 
collection  complete,   would  add  very   considerably  to   the   French  and 


NEED    OF    NATIONAL    LIBRARY DURAZZO  COLLECTION.       243 

Spanish.  It  would  make  with  the  Hbrary  now  owned  by  Congress  about 
50,000  volumes,  of  which  20,000  would  be  in  English,  10,000  in  French, 
20,000  in  Greek  and  Latin,  Italian,  and  Spanish,  with  a  few  German. 
The  collection  in  Greek,  Latin,  Italian,  and  Spanish  might  be  considered 
complete.  Future  additions  would  be  necessary  in  English,  French,  and 
German.  If  it  be  the  purpose  of  Congress  to  extend  the  Library  to 
100,000  or  150,000  volumes,  the  committee  think  that  the  proposed 
purchase  is  very  desirable;  and,  believing  tliat  such  ought  to  be  and  is 
the  intention,  the  committee  recommend  the  following  resolution: 

"Resolved,  That  the  Joint  Library'  Committee  of  the  two  Houses  of 
Congress  be,  and  they  are  hereb}-,  empowered  to  contract,  on  their  part, 
for  the  purchase  of  the  library  of  the  late  Count  Boutourlin  at  Florence. ' ' ' 

On  the  4tli  of  June  this  resolution  was  read  the  second 
time,  and  considered  as  in  Committee  of  the  Whole.  On 
motion  by  Henr}^  Cla}-,  ^^ Ordered^  That  it  lie  on  the  table."  ^ 

In  1844  a  second  opportunit}^  to  establish  the  Library 
upon  a  wider  and  more  substantial  basis  was  presented  by 
the  offer  of  the  Durazzo  collection  to  Congress.  On  the 
loth  of  Januar}',  1844,  the  Librar}'  Committee  received  a 
letter  from  C.  Edwards  Lester,  American  consul  at  Genoa, 
recommending  the  purchase  of  a  librar}-  belonging  to 
the  Durazzo  family,  consisting  of  about  10,500  volumes, 
principally  folios  and  quartos,  in  handsome  uniform  bind- 
ing, price  $30,000. — "Referred  to  the  Hon.  Wx.  Burke  and 
the  Hon.  Mr.  Marsh  to  report  on  the  subject." 

On  the  26th  of  January-,  1844,  the  following  letter  from 
]\Ir.  Lester,  addregsed  to  the  editor,  was  published  in  the 
Globe: 

United  vStates  Coxsulati:  at  Gknoa  (Italy). 

October  75,  iS^2. 

Dear  Sir:  Since  the  object  of  this  commnnication  can  not  fail  to 
interest  every  patriot  and  friend  of  learning,  I  offer  no  apolog}-  for 
addressing  5'ou.  Owing  to  reverses  of  fortune,  the  present  representa- 
tive of  the  Durazzo  famil)'  (one  of  the  most  ancient  and  illustrious  of 
Genoa,  and  indeed  all  Itah"),  has  offered  \\\s  celebrated  libraty  ior  soXe. 

'  Twenty -fourth  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  report  No.  242,  IMarch  15,  1836. 
[Washington,  Gales  &  Seaton,  printers,  1836.]     6  p.     8°.     Caption  title. 

*  Senate  Journal,  p.  405.  Regarding  this  collection  Charles  Sumner  wrote  to  G.  W. 
Greene,  December  30,  1S39:  "  Cogswell  has  come  abroad  again  "  *  *  to  pur- 
chase the  Boutourlin  library.  Mr.  Astor  is  about  founding  a  public  library  in  New 
York,  and  this  librar}-  was  to  be  the  basis  of  it,  but  unfortunately  it  is  already  under 
the  hammer  in  Paris,  selling  piece-meal,  and  Cogswell  has  abandoned  the  purchase. — 
Edward  L.  Pierce,  Life  of  Sumner,  2:  131. 


244  DEVELOPMENT   OP  THE   LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

As  soon  as  I  learned  his  intention  I  called  on  the  proprietor  and  obtained 
bis  lowest  terms,  with  the  refusal  of  the  library  for  five  months,  with 
the  view  of  writing  in  the  meantime  to  the  United  States  to  see  if  Con- 
gress could  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  purchase  it  for  the  use  of  the  Gov- 
ernment.    This  library  has  been  in  the  process  of  collection  for  several 
hundred  years  and  always  in  the  possession  of  the  same  family,  who 
have  at  all  times  been  distinguished  friends  of  learning.     It  has  long 
been  esteemed  one  of  the  choicest  private  libraries  in  Europe.     It  con- 
tains over  ten  thousand  volumes  of  the  most  valuable  and  beautiful  edi- 
tions of  the  most  celebrated  authors  of  the  ancient  and  modern  world, 
with  several  hundred  very  rare  and  valuable  manuscripts  in  different 
languages  (many  of  them  older  than  the  art  of  printing),  works  of 
inestimable  value  never  printed,  and  of  which  no  other  copies  are  known 
to  exist.     Although  the  number  of  volumes  is  no  greater,  yet  almost 
every  celebrated  author  of  every  language  is  found  in  it,  since  the  entire 
library  is  made  up  of  large  folio  and  quarto  editions,  which  are  very 
comprehensive.     It  is  bound  uniform  in  the  most  beautiful  and  durable 
style,  and  the  whole  is  in  a  perfect  state  of  preservation,  not  an  imper- 
fect copy  or  volume.     The  catalogue  can  not  be  forwarded,  as  only  one 
exists  (in  seven  manuscript  volumes),  and  only  a  general  idea  can  be 
given  of  its  contents.     Of  the  great  departments  of  learning,  the  most 
extensive  are  history,  laws,  jurisprudence,  and  diplomacy;  the  classical 
is  also  very  full,  containing  all  the  Greek  and  Roman  classics  in  manu- 
script by  the  scholars  of  the  14th,   15th,  and  i6th  centuries.     These 
among  the  most  valuable  in  Europe.     I  have  spent  several  days  expressly 
in  the  examination  of  the  library,  and  obtained  the  opinions  of  some  of 
the  best  Italian  scholars,  and  they  all  concur  with  the  books  of  bibliog- 
raphy in  the  opinion  that  it  is  one  of  the  choicest  and  most  valuable 
private  libraries  in  Europe.     The  price  is  so  low  it  can  offer  no  obstacle, 
it  being  only  //iirfj'  thousand  dollars,  which  is  much  less  than  the  original 
cost  of  the  binding,  and  I  am  universally  assured  it  is  not  one-tenth  of 
the  original  cost  of  the  printed  volumes,  not  to  mention  the  manuscript. 
The  want  of  such  a  library  is  felt  by  American  statesmen  and  scholars, 
and  it  may  safely  be  asserted  that  a  more  valuable  treasure  could  not  be 
possessed  by  the  present  or  left  to  future  generations.     I  then,  dear  sir, 
make  this  appeal  to  you  in  the  name  of  country  and  education,  and  for 
these  two  sacred  objects  I  ask  that  you  will  in  every  manner  in  your 
power  do  all  you  can  to  have  the  matter  brought  up  before  Congress  this 
.session.     The  library  can  be  had  for  no  less.     It  can  be  boxed,  insured, 
and  sent  to  Washington  in  a  perfect  state  for  $5,000,  and  I  am  willing  to 
propose  to  do  it  for  that  sum;  otherwise,  to  merely  charge  costs  alone. 
L,et  Congress  choose  its  own  mode,  however,  and  its  own  agent,  only  let 
the  library  be  bought  for  the  American  people. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  dear  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

C.  EdwarDvS  Lester, 

U.  S.  Consul  at  Genoa. 


NEED   OF   NATIONAL   LIBRARY — DURAZZO   COLLECTION.       245 

On  the  29tli  of  Janiiar}^,  1844,  on  motion  of  Mr,  Joseph  R. 
Ingersoll,  tlie  House  of  Representatives,  ''''Resolved^  That  the 
Joint  Committee  on  the  Librarj^  be  instructed  to  inquire  into 
the  expediency  of  purchasing  the  librar}^  of  the  Durazzo 
faniil}'  in  Italy."  And,  on  the  7th  of  June,  1844,  just  before 
the  close  of  the  session,  Mr.  Marsh,  from  the  Committee  on 
the  Librar}^,  made  the  following  adverse  report,  which  was 
read,  and  laid  upon  the  table: 

The  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library,  to  whom  were  referred  the 
memorials  of  the  faculties  of  Amherst  College  and  IlUnois  College  pro- 
posing to  Congress  the  purchase  of  the  library'  of  the  Durazzo  family  at 
Genoa,  report: 

That  the  subject  of  the  purchase  of  the  library  in  question  was  brought 
to  the  notice  of  the  committee  by  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
before  the  presentation  of  the  memorials;  and  the  matter  was  then 
informally  considered  by  the  committee,  and  measures  taken  to  obtain 
further  information  respecting  the  character  and  value  of  the  collection, 
A  printed  catalogue  of  the  librar}- '  has  been  lately-  obtained  through  the 
agency  of  Mr.  C.  E.  Lester,  United  States  consul  at  Genoa,  and  .sub- 
mitted to  the  examination  of  the  committee,  who  have  come  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  purchase  of  the  collection  is  inexpedient.  The  catalogue 
being  of  great  extent,  and  arranged  alphabeticall}- ,  a  full  analysis  of  its 
contents  would  be  a  work  of  .so  much  labor  that  tlie  committee  have  not 
thought  it  necessar}'  to  undertake  it;  but  they  submit  the  follovvdng 
statement  of  the  results  obtained  by  a  careful  examination  of  the  first 
half  of  the  catalogue: 

Works  in  the  Italian  language,  700;  in  French,  240;  in  Greek  and 
Latin  classical  literature  and  criticism,  350;  in  modern  Latin  mi.scellane- 
ous  literature,  250;  in  Latin  and  Greek  theology,  including  the  fathers, 
240;  in  English,  11;  in  other  languages,  14;  modern  manuscripts,  72; 
manuscripts  of  ancient  authors,  33.  A  large  proportion  of  the  books  in 
the  Italian  and  French  languages,  as  well  as  of  those  in  modern  Latin, 
consi.st  of  local  hi.stories  and  scientific  works;  and  neither  in  these  lan- 
guages, nor  in  the  department  of  classical  literature  and  critici.sm,  is  the 
collection  furnished  with  the  investigations  of  .scholars  of  the  modem 
school  of  hi.storical  and  literary  criticism.  Indeed,  the  connnittee  have 
observed  but  a  single  work  printed  within  the  last  half  century  upon  the 
catalogue.  In  the  department  of  classical  literature  the  library  is  rich 
in  palaeotypes;  and  early  editions  of  both  ancient  and  modern  authors 
are  numerous,  and  described  as  in  excellent  condition.  The  manu.scrijits 
are  represented  as  being  of  extraordinary  beauty,  though  there  are  few  of 
great  antiquity;  and  both  these  and  the  early  printed  books  are  of  great 

'Catalogo  della  biblioteca  di  uu  amatore  bibliofilo,  Ualia.     i  1.,  251  pp.     8°, 


246  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,   1829-1851. 

interest  as  illustrations  of  the  history  of  literature,  but  the  manuscripts 
do  not  in  general  appear  to  be  otherwise  of  great  ^'alue.  Duplicates  in 
different  editions  are  very  luimerous,  and  there  are  not  less  than  one 
hundred  copies  of  parts  or  the  whole  of  the  works  of  Cicero  and  com- 
mentaries on  his  writings.  The  books  are  described  (and  no  doubt 
truly)  as  being  very  select  copies,  in  excellent  condition  and  beautifully 
bound;  but  the  conunittee  obser\^e  few  illustrated  works,  and  few  which, 
apart  from  their  rarity,  would  be  very  costly. 

The  library  is  principally  interesting  as  furnishing  abundant  mate- 
rials for  literary  history,  and  in  this  respect  it  is  of  great  value;  but  it 
contains  few  works  wliich  have  not  been  superseded  by  later  authors  or 
editions;  and,  though  it  would  be  a  highly  desirable  acquisition  to  a 
well-endowed  literary  institution,  it  is  not,  in  the  judgment  of  the 
conunittee,  suited  to  the  purposes  of  Congress.' 

Both  of  these  luovements  to  form  a  national  library  uni- 
versal in  its  scope  b}'  the  purchase  of  special  collections  thus 
failed.  It  was  easier  to  adopt  a  more  limited  programme,  and 
make  the  chief  aim  of  the  national  librar}-  the  collection  of 
the  nation's  literature.  The  British  Museum  was  beginning 
to  think  the  collection  of  American  publications  worth  while; 
in  1S46  ordered  the  purchase  of  American  publications  of 
every  kind,  including  pamphlets,  sermons,  schoolbooks,  chil- 
dren's books,  etc.,'  and  in  1848  had  the  largest  collection  of 
books  relating  to  America  in  the  world.^  Moreover,  such  an 
aim  did  not  require  either  so  much  knowledge  or  so  much 
labor  on  the  part  of  the  purchaser.  Accordingly,  on  the  24th 
of  January,  1844,  the  committee  ordered  that  the  Librarian 
send  to  Mr.  Rich,  agent  of  the  committee  in  London,  a  full 
catalogue  of  the  books  in  the  Library,  to  enable  him  to 
furnish  a  list  of  books  relating  to  America  which  he  could 
suppl}^  in  completion  of  that  division  of  the  Library-.  On 
the  1 6th  of  December,  1844,  a  letter  was  received  by  the 
committee  in  repl}',  accompanied  by  a  printed  catalogue  of 
books  in  relation  to  America  which  he  offered  to  sell  to  the 
Librar}^,  and  the  consideration  of  the  subject  was  postponed 
until  the  next  meeting  of  the  committee,  and  then  apparently 
forgotten. 

'Twenty-eighth  Congress,  first  session,  House  report  No.  553. 
'Nalional  Intelligencer,  August  5,  1846. 

^Literary  World  3:  529.  In  1S59  the  collection  was  said  to  number  30,000  books, 
or  more  than  double  that  of  any  library  in  this  countrj'.  —Historical  Magazine  y.  213. 


NEED   OF   NATIONAL   LIBRARY — AMERICANA.  247 

On  the  loth  of  August,  1846,  too,  it  was  provided  that  the 
Library  should  receive  one  cop}-  of  every  work  copyrighted 
under  the  laws  of  the  United  States.' 

But  the  collection  of  books  even  within  the  field  of  Ameri- 
cana went  on  slowly — most  of  it  seems  to  have  been  done  in 
London — and  the  Library  continued  its  hand-to-mouth  exist- 
ence. At  the  time  of  the  excitement  over  Cuba  in  1832  the 
committee  voted  that  Mr.  Shaler  be  authorized  to  purchase,  at 
Havana,  books  and  periodical  publications  to  the  amount  of 
$50  annuall}'."  At  the  time  of  the  Mexican  war  it  ^'' Resolved^ 
That  the  Librarian  be  authorized  to  purchase  all  the  consti- 
tutions and  laws  of  Mexico,  and  also  to  subscribe  for  a  news- 
paper published  in  Vera  Cruz  and  for  one  published  in  the 
City  of  Alexico."^  At  the  time  of  the  revolution  of  1848  it 
ordered  that  the  Librarian  purchase  immediately  all  works  of 
an}'  reputation  touching  the  modern  history,  existing  condi- 
tions, and  prospects  of  Hungar}-  and  Germany;-*  and  during 
the  Civil  War  the  committee  ordered  that  the  Librarian  expend 
from  the  book  fund  a  sum  not  exceeding  $100  in  procuring 
pamphlets  relating  to  the  existing  war,^  and  a  law  was 
passed  June  25,  1864,  appropriating  $4,000  to  enable  the 
Librar}'  Committee  to  purchase  a  complete  file  of  selections 
from  European  periodicals  from  1861  to  1864,  relating  to 
the  rebellion:  Provided^  That  no  part  of  said  sum  should 
be  expended  until  the  entire  collection  and  an  index  thereto 
was  completed  and  approved  by  the  committee.^ 

At  the  same  time  it  refused  Henry  Stevens's  offer  of  the 
Laws  of  Vermont  and  Journals  of  the  general  assembly  of 
Vermont  from  1779,  together  with  about  500  volumes  of 
Vermont  newspapers  from  1783  on,"  and  though  the  Senate, 
on  motion  of  ]\Ir.  Clarke,  directed  the  committee  to  ascertain 
from  the  owner  of  the  library  of  George  Washington  whether 

■This  law  was  so  generally  disregarded  that  it  was  repealed  February  5,  1859. 

=  Minutes,  December  29,  1832. 

3  Minutes,  August  4,  1848. 

♦Minutes,  February  13,  1850. 

sMinutes,  May  7,  1862. 

'This  sum,  having  failed  to  be  used  for  this  purpose,  was  authorized  April  7,  1S66, 
to  be  expended  in  the  purchase  of  books,  one-half  for  the  law  department  of  the 
Library. 

7  Minutes,  January  31,  1846. 


248  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

the  same  was  for  sale  and  of  what  number  and  value  the 
books  in  the  library  were  and  at  what  price  they  might  be 
purchased,  nothing  seems  to  have  been  done  to  bring  the 
library  to  Washington,  as  the  manuscripts  had  been  in  1834, 
and  the  library  was  saved  from  being  carried  to  a  foreign 
land  onh'  b}^  the  patriotic  efforts  of  a  few  citizens  of  Boston, 
who  subscribed  the  amount  necessar}^  to  purchase  the  library, 
and  presented  it  to  the  Boston  Athenaeum.' 

THE    LAW    DEPARTMENT. 

Although  the  committee  did  not  accomplish  much  in  the 
formation  and  realization  of  plans  for  the  bibliographical 
development  of  the  Library  during  the  period  before  the  war, 
it  did  succeed  in  passing  two  legislative  measures  affecting 
the  organization  of  the  Library  which  were  of  considerable 
importance.  These  were,  first,  the  act  to  increase  and  improve 
the  law  department  of  the  Librar}^  of  Congress,  approved  July 
14,  1832,  and,  second,  the  acts  providing  for  the  exchange  and 
distribution  of  public  documents,  approved  June  26,  1848,  and 
January  28,  1857. 

On  the  1 6th  of  February,  181 6,  a  bill  had  been  introduced 
into  the  Senate  providing  for  the  establishment  of  a  law 
library  for  the  use  of  the  Supreme  Court.  On  the  24th  of 
February,  1826,  and  again  on  the  19th  of  Februar}^,  1828, 
and  on  the  9th  of  Februar}^,  1830,  Mr.  Wyckliffe  had  sub- 
mitted a  resolution  in  the  House  of  Representatives  that  the 
Committee  on  the  Librar}^  be  instructed  to  inquire  into  the 
expediency  of  separating  the  law  books  from  the  other  books 
in  the  Library  of  Congress  and  placing  them  under  the 
superintendence  of  the  Supreme  Court.  On  this  last  occasion 
the  National  Journal  said: 

Mr.  Wyckliffe  wishes  to  separate  the  law  books  from  the  rest  of  the 
lyibrary  of  Congress  and  to  place  the  former  in  the  Supreme  Court,  under 

'A  catalogue  of  the  Washington  collection  in  the  Boston  Athengeum,  compiled  and 
annotated  by  Appleton  P.  C.  Griffin.  In  four  parts:  I.  Books  from  the  library  of 
Gen.  George  Washington.  II.  Other  books  from  Mount  Vernon.  III.  The  writings 
of  Washington.  IV.  Washingtoniana.  With  an  appendix:  The  inventory  of  Wash- 
ington's books  drawn  up  bj'  the  appraisers  of  his  estate,  with  notes  in  regard  to  the 
full  titles  of  the  several  books  and  the  later  history  and  present  ownership  of  those 
not  in  the  Athenaeum  collection.  By  WMlliam  Coolidge  Lane,  librarian  of  the  Boston 
Athenteum.     The  Bo.ston  AthenEeum,  1897.     xi,  566  pp.     front,  (port.),  plate.     8°, 


THE   LAW   DEPARTMENT.  249 

the  superintendence  of  a  new  librarian.  This  would  certainly  afford 
great  facilities  both  to  the  bench  and  the  bar,  but  the  members  themselves 
are  often  in  want  of  books  of  jurisprudence,  and  should  not  be  deprived 
of  those  which  are  now  in  the  Library  of  Congress.  Mr.  Wyckliffe  does 
not  seem  to  have  any  peculiar /^w<r/iaw/  for  any  other  reading  than  that 
of  law,  and  one  would  think  his  inclination  might  be  amply  indulged 
during  the  session  by  the  access  he  has  to  the  fine  law  library  of  Con- 
gress and  the  facilities  which  the  knowledge  of  its  present  keeper  is  so 
well  calculated  to  afford.  From  the  very  scanty  majority  in  favor  of 
the  appropriation  for  the  purchase  of  books  it  would  seem  that  Congress 
is  either  satisfied  with  the  number  of  volumes  already  in  the  Library 
or  dissatisfied  with  the  manner  in  which  the}'  are  kept.  Mr.  \V>-cklifi;e 
has  for  some  time  been  anxious  to  remove  the  law  department  of  the 
Congressional  Librarj',  but  his  efforts  have  never  been  successful.  To 
alia}'  this  auxiet\-,  it  would  perhaps  be  better  to  alter  the  rule  for  Mr. 
W.'s  special  accommodation,  and  allow  him  to  have  full  range  among 
his  favorite  volumes  during  the  sessions  of  the  Supreme  Court.  Mr.  W.'s 
desire  to  remove  will,  if  gratified,  be  a  reform  like  that  produced  by  the 
present  Administration,  as  it  will  take  away  the  most  valuable  part  of 
the  Library-  and  perhaps  fill  its  place  with  something  that  is  less  so.' 

Finally,  on  the  14th.  of  December,  183 1,  on  motion  of  Mr. 
Grundy,  tlie  Senate  ''^ Resolved^  That  the  Committee  on  the 
Judiciary  be  instructed  to  inquire  into  the  expediencj-  of  pro- 
viding a  law  librar}'  for  the  use  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States,"  and  on  the  20th  of  the  next  month  ]\Ir. 
^larcy,  from  the  same  committee,  reported  a  bill  to  increase 
and  improve  the  law  department  of  the  Librarj-  of  Congress, 
which  on  the  14th  of  July  following  became  a  law: 

AN  ACT  to  increase  and  improve  the  law  department  of  the  Library  of  Congress. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  in  Congress  assejnblcd,  That  it  shall  be  the  dut}'  of 
the  Librarian  to  prepare  an  apartment  near  to,  and  connected  by,  an 
easy  communication  with  that  in  which  the  Librar}-  of  Congress  is  now 
kept,  for  the  purpose  of  a  law  library;  to  remove  the  law  books,  now 
in  the  Librar}-,  into  such  apartment;  and  to  take  charge  of  the  law 
library,  in  the  same  manner  as  he  is  now  required  to  do  of  the  Library 
of  Congress. 

Sec.  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  Justices  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  United  States  shall  have  free  access  to  the  said  law  library; 
and  they  are,  hereby,  authorized  and  empowered  to  make  such  rules  and 
regulations  for  the  use  of  the  same,  by  themselves  and  the  attorneys 
and  counsellors,  during  the  sittings  of   the  said  court,  as  they  shall 

^  National  Journal,  I-ehruary  15,  1830. 


250  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,   1829-185I. 

deem  proper:  Provided,  Such  rules  and  regulations  shall  not  restrict  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  the  Vice  President,  or  any  member  of 
the  Senate  or  House  of  Representatives,  from  having  access  to  the  said 
librar>-,  or  using  the  books  therein,  in  the  same  manner  that  he  now 
has,  or  may  haie,  to  use  the  books  of  the  Library  of  Congress. 

Sec.  3.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  law  library  shall  be  a 
part  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  subject  to  the  same  regulations, 
except  such  alterations  as  are  herein  provided  for,  as  now  are,  or  here- 
after shall  be  established  for  the  Library  of  Congress;  and  the  incidental 
expenses  of  the  law  library  shall  be  paid  out  of  the  appropriations  for 
the  Library  of  Congress. 

Sec.  4.  A7id  be  it  further  enacted,  That  there  shall  be,  and  hereby  is, 
appropriated,  for  the  present  year,  a  sum  not  exceeding  five  thousand 
dollars,  and  a  further  annual  sum  of  one  thousand  dollars,  for  the 
period  of  five  years,  to  be  expended  in  the  purchase  of  law  books; 
and  that  the  Librarian  shall  make  the  purchases  of  the  books  for 
the  law  library,  under  such  directions,  and  pursuant  to  such  catalogue, 
as  shall  be  furnished  him  by  the  Chief  Justice  of  the  United  States. 

Approved,  July  14,  1832. 

In  accordance  with  this  law  a  room  north  of  the  main 
Library  was  fitted  up  for  the  use  of  the  law  librar}^  This  it 
occupied  until  1843,  when,  as  we  have  already  noticed,  it  was 
removed  to  an  apartment  on  the  west  side  of  the  basement 
of  the  north  wing  of  the  Capitol,  near  the  Supreme  Court 
room.  There  it  remained  until  December,  i860,  when  it  was 
removed  to  its  present  quarters  in  the  old  room  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  on  the  east  side  of  the  basement. 

In  the  formation  of  the  law  library  the  most  important 
steps  besides  the  act  of  1832  were,  first,  the  resolutions  passed 
by  the  committee  January  9,  1830:  ^^  Resolved^  That  the 
reports  of  cases  determined  in  the  superior  courts  of  the  sev- 
eral States  of  the  Union  be  purchased  for  the  Library  when- 
ever published,  and  that  the  existing  deficiencies  be  supplied 
as  early  as  possible;"  ^^ Resolved^  That  the  laws  of  every  State 
of  the  Union  not  now  in  the  Library  be  purchased  or  other- 
wise obtained."  The  second  important  step  was  the  delegation 
of  the  duty  of  selecting  books  for  the  law  library  to  experts  in 
legal  literature.  On  the  7th  of  February,  1835,  the  committee 
voted  "That  Mr.  Preston  and  Mr.  Binney  see  the  Chief  Jus- 
tice on  the  expediency  of  appointing  a  committee  of  the  bar 
to  select  law  books  to  be  purchased  for  the  law  library,"  and 


TPIE   DOCUMENT   DEPARTMENT.  251 

on  tlie  30th  of  January,  1836,  it  voted  "That  the  honorable 
Mr.  Porter  and  the  honorable  Mr.  Preston  be  a  committee  to 
consult  the  Supreme  Court  on  the  subject  of  law  books  for 
the  law  library;"  and  the  act  of  March  3,  1837,  stipulated 
that  the  books  purchased  for  the  law  library  be  chosen  from  a 
catalogue  furnished  by  the  Chief  Justice.  Mr.  C.  H.  W. 
Meehan,  who  was  intrusted  with  the  custody  of  the  law 
department  of  the  Library,  remained  in  that  position  until 
his  death,  Jul}'  5,  1872. 

The  law  library  was  thus,  as  the  North  American  Review 
observed,'  placed  upon  a  sound  basis,  and  with  the  appropria- 
tions provided  by  the  act  of  1832,  supplemented  by  an  addi- 
tional grant  of  $5,000  March  3,  1837,  ^^*^  ^Y  ^^^  annual 
appropriation  of  $1,000 — increased  to  an  annual  appropriation 
of  $2,000  in  1850 — grew  from  a  collection  of  2,011  volumes 
(639  of  which  belonged  to  the  Jefferson  collecton)  in  1832, 
until  at  the  close  of  this  period  it  was  considered  the  best  and 
largest  collection  of  law  books  in  America.  Catalogues  of 
this  collection  were  printed  in  1839  i^^  9^  pages,  in  1849  i^ 
139  pages,  and  in  i860  in  225  pages. 

THE    DOCUMENT    DEPARTMENT. 

The  changes  in  the  department  of  documents — that  other 
important  branch  of  a  legislative  library — were  more  exten- 
sive than  those  in  the  department  of  law,  but  not  of  so  lasting 
a  character.  Up  to  this  time  the  Library  had  been  both  a 
collector  and  a  distributer  of  public  documents,  but  in  both 
capacities  its  activities  had  been  limited. 

In  1839,  however,  new  steps  were  taken  to  complete  the 
collection  of  documents  in  the  Library.  On  the  1 5th  of  Feb- 
ruary Mr.  Allen  submitted  the  following  resolution  in  the 
Senate:  ''^Resolz^ed^  That  the  Librarian  be  directed  to  make 
out  and  to  report  to  the  Senate  at  the  commencement  of  the 
first  session  of  the  next  Congress  a  catalogue  of  all  the  laws 
and  of  all  the  legislative  and  executive  journals  and  docu- 
ments of  the  several  States  and  Territories  now  in  the 
Library." 

•Vol.  45.  p.  139  (i«37)- 


252  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

Mr.  Alien  said  it  was  necessary  to  offer  some  remarks 
explanatory  of  this  resolution.  Being  upon  tlie  Library 
Committee,  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  make  some  inquiry  as  to 
the  contents  of  the  Library,  and  he  was  very  much  surprised 
to  learn  that  the  journals  and  documents  of  the  States  and 
Territories  of  the  Union  were  not  to  be  found  there;  and 
indeed  but  few  complete  sets  of  the  laws  of  the  States  and 
Territories  were  there.  In  a  conversation  with  the  Libra- 
rian, he  had  learned  that  with  the  exception  of  the  State  of 
New  York  there  was  no  instance  of  a  complete  set  of  the 
public  documents  of  the  legislature  of  any  State  in  the 
Union  being  in  the  Library ;  and  in  the  case  of  the  State  of 
New  York  this  was  true  for  only  a  few  3'ears  back.  His 
object  in  submitting  the  resolution  was  to  show  the  extent 
of  the  deficiency,  in  order  to  predicate  on  it  a  movement  at 
the  next  session  to  supply  this  unaccountable  defect  in  the 
National  Library.  "It  is  a  remarkable  fact,"  said  Mr.  Allen, 
"that  you  can  lay  your  hands  on  all  the  proceedings  of  the 
English  Parliament  in  our  Library,  and  yet  you  can  not  find 
the  journals  and  public  documents  complete  of  any  State  in  the 
Union."  He  believed  that  in  most  cases  the  journals  of  the 
State  legislatures  might  be  found  from  the  foundation  of  the 
State  governments.  There  could  be  no  question  with  the 
members  of  Congress  as  to  the  necessity  of  having  these 
documents  preserved  in  the  National  Library.  This  was  all 
he  had  to  say  in  explanation  of  the  resolution,  "which,  from 
its  nudit}^,  might  appear  light  and  ridiculous."  The  resolu- 
tion was  then  adopted.' 

In  accordance  with  this  resolution.  Librarian  Meehan  sub- 
mitted a  report  to  the  Senate  December  27,  1839,  containing 
a  catalogue  of  all  the  laws  and  of  all  the  legislative  and  execu- 
tive journals  and  documents  of  the  several  States  and  Terri- 
tories in  the  possession  of  the  Library;^  and  on  the  9th  of 

^  Congressiotial  Globe,  5:  496. 

» Twenty-sixth  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  report  No.  16.  Report  of  the  Libra- 
rian of  Congress,  transmitting,  in  compliance  with  a  resolution  of  the  Senate,  a  cata- 
logue of  all  the  laws  and  of  all  the  legislative  and  executive  journals  and  documents 
of  the  several  States  and  Territories  now  in  the  Library.  December  27,  1839.—- 
Read  and  ordered  to  be  printed.  [Washington],  Blair  and  Rives,  printers,  [1839]. 
14  pp.     8° 


THE   DOCUMENT   DEPARTMENT.  253 

January,  1840,  the  Librar}^  Committee  voted  that  the  Libra- 
rian prepare  a  letter  to  be  addressed  to  the  executives  of  the 
several  States,  requesting  them  to  supply  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress mth  copies  of  the  laws,  journals,  and  documents  of  the 
States/ 

This  interest  in  State  documents  naturally  led  to  a  renewed 
interest  in  Federal  documents,  and  on  the  24th  of  March,  1840, 
it  was  "  Ordered^  That  the  Librarian  be  authorized  to  com- 
plete the  set  of  documents  and  journals  of  Congress  in  the 
Librarj^  b}^  purchasing  from  Mr,  George  Templeman  or 
others,  as  he  can  do  it  on  best  terms." 

The  acts  of  June  26,  1848,  and  January  28,  1857,  providing 
for  the  exchange  and  distribution  of  public  documents,  were  of 
much  greater  significance.  Up  to  this  time  all  documents 
ordered  to  be  printed  by  any  Congress  were  distributed  to 
members  of  that  Congress  only,  and  others  could  only  obtain 
them  by  buying  them  either  from  those  members  or  in  the 
second-hand  book  market.^  The  first  exception  to  this  rule 
was  in  the  resolution  of  May  24,  1828,  which  provided  for 
the  distribution  of  the  duplicate  books  and  documents  in  the 
Library  to  members  of  Congress,  State  and  college  libraries. 
This  distribution  eventually  relieved  the  Library  of  much 
useless  material,  but  the  Library  had  received  nothing  in 
turn  except  the  room  occupied  b}^  the  material  thus  distrib- 
uted. 

On  the  19th  of  June,  1834,  however,  a  resolution  was 
approved  providing  that  25  copies  of  every  work  printed  by 
the  order  or  at  the  expense  of  the  United  States  should  be 
placed  at  the  disposition  of  the  Joint  Library  Committee  to 
be  by  them  disposed  of  in  return  for  donations  to  the  Library 
of  Congress.  On  the  loth  of  January,  1837,  ^o<^>  the  Library 
Committee  ^''Voted^  That  the  Librarian  be  authorized  to 
exchange  Gales  and  Seaton's  State  Papers,  if  they  could  be 
obtained,  and  other  public  documents  with   the  French  Gov- 

'  Another  order  to  the  same  effect  was  issued  February  19,  1845;  and  April  9,  1862, 
it  was  "  Ordered,  That  the  chairman  introduce  in  the  Senate  a  proposition  to  amend 
the  statute  providing  for  the  transmission  of  State  documents  by  mail,  so  that  they 
might  be  received  at  the  Library  without  postage." 

'' National  Intelligencer,  February  3,  i860. 


254  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,   1829-1851. 

ernment;"  "  Voted ^  That  the  Librarian  report  how  far  the 
Library  is  furnished  with  documents  to  exchange  with  the 
French  Government." 

Finally,  the  joint  resolution  of  July  20,  1840,  authorized 
the  Librarian  to  exchange  such  duplicates  as  there  were  in 
the  Library,  and  provided  50  additional  copies  of  documents 
printed  by  order  of  either  House  for  the  purpose  of  exchange 
in  foreign  countries.  The  history  of  the  system  of  inter- 
national exchange  thus  established  was  as  follows* 

INTERNATIONAL    EXCHANGES. 

In  1815  Alexandre  Vattemare,'  of  Paris,  began  an  investi- 
gation into  the  conditions  of  European  libraries,  which 
resulted  in  his  discovering  large  collections  of  duplicates. 
Munich,  he  said,  had  200,000;  Jena,  12,000;  St.  Petersburg, 
54,000;  Vienna,  30,000,  and  other  cities  like  numbers.  This 
discover}'  led  him  to  establish  a  system  of  exchange  among 
the  different  nations  of  Europe  which  would  bring  into  cir- 
culation these  valuable  but  useless  treasures.  In  four  years 
the  enthusiastic  projector  of  this  system  was  so  successful, 
according  to  his  own  story,  that  in  France  600,000  volumes 
had  been  forwarded  to  the  central  depot  for  either  inter- 
national or  internal  exchange,  and  in  the  various  countries 
of  Europe  a  total  of  nearly  2,000,000  volumes  had  been 
withdrawn  from  dust  and  oblivion  and  placed  where  they 
might  assume  their  real  value.  The  movement  had  led  also 
to  the  interchange  of  the  modern  publications  of  the  various 
countries,  the  publishers  of  both  Saxony  and  France  having 
placed  at  the  disposal  of  their  Governments  for  the  purpose 
of  exchange  five  copies  of  all  their  publications. 

Encouraged  by  Lafayette,  Cass,  and  Cambreling,  M.  Vatte- 
mare  embarked  for  the  United  States  September  20,  1839,  to 
lay  the  plan  before  our  Government  and  learned  societies. 
The  Boston  Atlas  said  of  him:  "M.  Vattemare  is  rather  under 
the  medium  size,  spare,  with  long  hair,  sparkling  e3^es,  and 
an  energy  of  gesticulation  which  well  accords  with  his  ani- 

■  There  are  biographical  sketches  of  Vattemare  in  the  New  England  HistoHcal 
and  Genealogical  Register  19:  367  (October,  1865),  and  in  the  Historical  Magazine, 
2d  series  4:  297  (December,  1868). 


ly 


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a^^uL^ydM^^r^^-W 


y^:  i^.-'^-  cJkJy 


History  oi  the  Library  of"  Congress,  vol.  i,   pl;itc  iS. 


INTERNATIONAL  EXCHANGES.  255 

mated  countenance.  '^  '•'  '^'  Everybody  with  whom  he 
converses  becomes  enlisted  in  his  project,  nor  is  it  possible 
to  withstand  his  earnest  arguments,  which  evidently  come 
direct  from  the  heart.  Meet  him  where  you  will,  you  have 
to  stop  and  listen  to  his  account  of  some  success — some  valu- 
able contribution — some  legislative  enactments — and  though 
you  ma}^  be  busy,  before  he  has  talked  to  3''ou  five  minutes, 
you  will  lend  him  your  attention  with  interest." 

On  the  loth  of  December  M.  Vattemare  addressed  a  me- 
morial to  the  House  of  Representatives.'  In  this  he  said 
concerning  the  system  of  international  exchange: 

Of  all  the  countries  in  the  world,  America  will  have  the  most  to  gain 
in  entering  into  this  plan.  The  libraries  of  Europe,  splendid,  copious, 
rich,  have  been  the  slow  accumulation  of  nearly  four  centuries.  Few  in 
the  United  States  can  date  back  half  a  century.  If  our  best-endowed 
public  institutions  possess  works  which  show  the  present  state  of  science, 
and  the  triumphs  of  modern  literature,  they  are  wanting  in  all  that  can 
be  called  the  history  of  art,  of  science,  and  of  the  gradual  progress  of 
the  human  mind,  from  the  time  that  Faust  and  Guttenberg  first  called 
into  action  that  mighty  engine  which  has  established  the  future  liberty 
of  the  human  race,  upon  the  basis  of  intelligence  diffused  and  every- 
where accessible.  Were  he  to  venture  any  suggestion  on  the  subject,  it 
would  be  that  the  Ivibrarian  of  Congress,  under  the  direction  of  the  Joint 
Librarj'  Committee,  be  authorized  to  open  correspondence  with  the 
executives  of  the  several  States  of  the  Union,  and  with  the  representa- 
tives of  foreign  powers,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  catalogues  of  such 
articles  as  might  be  available  for  exchange  on  the  part  of  the  United 
States  or  disposable  as  a  return  on  the  part  of  foreign  nations;  and  that 
for  the  purpose  of  making  a  beginning,  the  copies  which  are  now  by  law 
directed  to  be  deposited  in  the  Department  of  State  of  every  copyright 
book  or  engraving,  with  the  printed  reports  of  the  two  Houses  of  Con- 
gress, be  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  Library  Committee  for  the  purpose 
of  exchange.     *     *     * 

This  memorial  was  referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Library, 
and  on  the  5th  of  June,  1840,  Mr.  Preston,  from  that  commit- 
tee, made  the  following  report  in  the  Senate:^ 

^  *  *  The  committee  believes  that  this  Government  may,  to  a 
limited  extent,  advantageously  enter  into  the  proposed  arrangement. 


1840 
586. 


' Twenty -sixtli  Congress,  first  session.  House  document  No.  50,  read  February  5, 
140. 
Twenty -sixth  Congress,  first  session.  Senate  report  No.  521;  House  report  No. 


256        db:velopment  of  the  library,  i 829-1 851. 

The  passed  and  passing  historj'  of  this  Government,  as  embodied  in 
its  published  documents,  necessaril}^  produces  the  annual  publication  of 
many  volumes,  containing  the  most  authentic  and  exact  account  of  the 
progress  of  national  events  and  the  working  of  our  political  machine. 
To  the  intense  and  enlightened  curiosity  of  the  world  is  thus  exhibited, 
at  each  step  of  their  progress,  the  new  and  great  experiments  we  are 
making,  the  accurate  knowledge  of  which  by  foreign  nations  may  sub- 
serve our  interest  and  promote  a  favorable  estimate  of  our  institutions. 
It  is  very  desirable,  too,  that  we  should  have  the  means  within  the 
reach  of  Congress  of  as  minute  a  knowledge  as  authentic  records  can 
furnish  in  regard  to  foreign  governments. 

There  are  now  in  the  possession  of  Congress  many  hundred  volumes 
of  public  documents,  some  of  which  might  well  be  distributed  among 
friendly  governments,  and,  for  a  like  return  and  at  a  very  small  expense, 
permanent  provision  might  be  made  to  supply  them  in  future.  As,  in 
this  department  of  publication,  we  probably  exceed  most  foreign  nations, 
the  exchange  would  be  equalized  by  receiving  in  return  national  works 
of  science  or  art,  which  the  more  ample  powers  of  other  governments 
enable  them  to  execute. 

Besides  this  not  inconsiderable  means  of  profitable  exchange,  Congress 
also  has,  occasionally,  the  disposition  of  duplicate  books  in  the  lyibrary; 
and  this  might  be  increased  by  an  amendment  of  the  copyright  laws, 
directing  three  copies  of  every  publication  under  a  maximum  value  in 
the  Congressional  Library. 

For  the  purpose  of  carrying  out  these  views,  the  committee  offer  the 
following  resolutions,  and  a  bill: 

;i;  ^  5};  *  :ic  *  Hs» 

On  the  19th  of  June  action  was  again  urged  in  a  letter 
from  M.  Vattemare,  submitted  by  Senator  Benton,'  and  on 
the  20th  of  the  next  month  a  joint  resolution  for  the  exchange 
of  books  and  public  documents  for  foreign  publications  was 
passed.^ 

JOINT  RESOLUTION  for  the  exchange  of  books  and  public  documents  for  foreign 

pubHcations. 

Be  it  resolved  by  the  Senate  atid  House  of  Represeiitatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  Librarian,  under  the 
supervision  of  the  Committee  on  the  Library,  be  authorized  to  exchange 
such  duplicates  as  may  be  in  the  Library  for  other  books  or  works. 

Second.  That  he  be  authorized,  in  the  same  way,  to  exchange  docu- 
ments. 

'Twenty-sixth  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  document  No.  521,  p.  2. 
^  Twenty-sixth  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  document  No.  559. 
3  Statutes  at  Large,  5:  409. 


INTERNATIONAL   EXCHANGES.  257 

Third.  That  hereafter  fifty  additional  copies  of  the  documents,  printed 
by  order  of  either  House,  be  printed  and  bound  for  the  purpose  of  exchange 
in  foreign  countries. 

Approved,  July  20,  1840. 

The  bill  to  fumisH  the  Librarian  with  three  copies  of  every 
work  copyrighted  in  the  United  States  for  exchange  with 
foreign  libraries,  presented  at  the  same  time  as  the  resolution, 
after  the  first  and  second  reading  was  laid  on  the  table: 

A  BILL  In  addition  to  the  acts  now  in  force  for  the  encouragement  of  learning, 
for  securing  the  copies  of  maps,  charts,  and  books  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of 
such  copies  during  the  times  therein  mentioned. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  ayid  House  of  Representatives  of  the  U?iited 
States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  in  order  to  entitle  any 
author  or  proprietor  of  any  map,  chart,  book,  or  books,  not  exceeding 
in  price  as  hereinafter  mentioned,  to  the  copyright  thereof  and  to  the 
benefits  of  the  acts  now  in  force  for  securing  the  same,  such  author  or 
authors,  proprietor  or  proprietors  shall,  in  addition  to  the  deposits  and 
delivery  of  copies  now  required  by  law,  and  within  six  months  after  the 
publishing  of  any  such  work,  also  deliver,  or  cause  to  be  delivered,  to 
the  Librarian  of  Congress  three  copies  of  the  same,  if  the  price  of  each 
copy  as  sold  does  not  exceed  ten  dollars,  to  be  exchanged  for  other 
works  or  productions  according  to  the  provisions  which  Congress  shall 
have  made  or  shall  make  in  relation  to  exchanges  thereof. ' 

In  consequence  of  the  resolution  of  July  20,  1840,  M. 
Vattemare  left  Washington  with  some  700  volumes  of  Con- 
gressional documents,  a  collection  twice  as  large,  he  said,  as 
any  in  Washington/  In  return,  proposals  for  the  exchange 
of  public  documents  were  received  by  the  Library  Committee 
from  the  Governments  of  Wiirttemberg,^  Portugal,''  Belgium,^ 
France,^  and  Great  Britain.^  These  proposals  came  through 
the  consul,  charge  d'affaires,  or  minister  representing  the 
respective  Governments  in  the  United  States  or  through 
American  ministers  or  secretaries  of  legations  abroad  or 
directly  from  the  ministries  of  foreign  affairs.  But  no  agent 
for  carrying  into  effect  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  1840  was 

'Twenty -sixth  Congress,  first  session,  bill  No.  447. 
'  National  Intelligencer,  March  i,  1848. 
3  Minutes,  December  22,  1840. 
<Ibid.,  February  14,  1844. 

sibid.,  December  22,  1840,  and  January  31,  1846. 

*Ibid.,  March  i,  1841;  July  20,  1841;  April  29,  1842;  February  15,  1843;  March  20, 
1844;  February  20,  1847. 
7lbid.,  June  17,  1841;  December  24,  1841;  January  21,  1848. 

23399— <>4 17 


258  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

appointed,  though  the  committee  received  a  communication 
from  Henry  Wheaton,  L.  Draper,  and  others,  on  behalf  of 
the  American  Athenseum  in  Paris,  April  29,  1842,  request- 
ing the  committee  to  instruct  the  Librarian  to  make  his 
exchanges  under  the  act  of  1840  through  the  medium  of  the 
Athenseum.  Consequently  the  resolution  remained  practi- 
cally inoperative,  though  some  340  volumes  were  received  from 
France/ 

To  remedy  this  defect  in  the  system  of  international 
exchange  established  by  the  act  of  July  20,  1840,  M.  Vatte- 
mare  presented  a  memorial  to  Congress^  Februar}^  9,  1848, 
proposing  the  establishment  of  a  central  agency  in  Paris, 
with  subordinate  agencies  in  the  different  countries  of  Hurope 
and  in  the  different  States  of  America,  whose  duty  it  should 
be  to  collect  and  distribute  the  various  objects  of  exchange. 
He  said: 

After  consulting  on  the  subject  the  most  learned  scientific  bodies,  as 
well  as  the  most  illustrious  statesmen  here  and  abroad,  and  reflecting 
maturely  on  the  result  of  many  3'ears'  personal  experience,  he  is  led  to 
the  conclusion  that  the  most  direct,  easy,  and  certain  mode  of  effecting 
the  object  in  view  was  to  establish  and  organize  a  general  international 
agency  for  the  exclusive  purpose  of  conducting  scientific  and  literarj' 
exchanges  between  the  governments  and  legislatures,  and  municipal  and 
scientific  bodies  in  the  nations  of  Europe  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  Fed- 
eral Government  and  the  States  of  the  Union  on  the  other. 

The  seat  of  such  agency  to  be  in  the  city  of  Paris,  having  subordinate 
agents  for  the  United  States  and  in  the  capitals  of  European  nations, 
whose  dut}'  it  shall  be  to  collect  and  receive  the  objects  of  exchange  in 
the  district  assigned  to  each  and  forward  them  to  the  central  depot  in 
Paris,  from  which  point  the  general  exchange  between  the  two  hemi- 
spheres shall  be  directly  made  and  thence  distributed  to  the  subordinate 
agencies,  and  so  spread  for  universal  benefit  throughout  every  part  of 
the  respective  countries  which  shall  enter  into  the  plan.  Of  course  these 
subordinate  agencies  may  be  multiplied  to  any  extent,  as  the  growing 
population,  especially  of  this  country,  maj'  demand  and  as  the  benefit 
of  the  system  shall  attract  to  it  increasing  patronage  and  support. 

Connected  with  the  Federal  agency  should  be  a  system  of  authentic 
reports  stating  what  has  been  collected  for  exchange  and  also  what  has 
been  received  in  return.  These  reports  (while  they  act  as  a  salutary 
check  on  agents  disposed  to  be  unfaithful)  would  be  a  means  of  furnish- 

^ Southern  Literary  Messenger,  9:  757. 

'  Thirtieth  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  miscellaneous  documents.  No.  46. 


INTERNATIONAL  EXCHANGES.  259 

ing  mutually  to  the  two  continents  what  each  might  obtain  from  the 
other,  and  where  the  objects  desired  were  to  be  found. 

Your  petitioner  most  respectfully  prays  further: 

First.  That  the  law  securing  patent  right  and  copyright  ma}'  be  so 
amended  as  to  require  all  authors  or  publishers  taking  out  a  copyright 
for  works  to  be  printed  to  place  one  copy  in  the  American  library  of  the 
city  of  Paris,  in  France,  subject  to  the  order  of  the  Government,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  two  copies  now  deposited  in  the  Library  of  Congress. 

Second.  And,  in  like  manner,  requiring  one  copy  of  the  specification, 
with  the  drawings  and  model  accompanying  the  same,  of  each  machine 
or  new  invention  or  improvement  for  which  patent  shall  be  granted. 

Third.  The  enactment  of  a  law,  accompanied  by  all  necessary  guards 
for  the  prevention  of  fraud,  admitting  duty  free  all  works  and  other 
objects  addressed  by  governments  through  the  general  agency  in  Paris 
to  the  branch  depot,  exclusively  for  the  purpose  of  international  exchange. 

Fourth.  That  the  resolutions  heretofore  passed  by  both  Houses  in 
July,  1840,  in  the  words  following  (and  which  have  hitherto  remained  a 
dead  letter  on  the  statute  book),  be  carried  into  full  effect  (amending 
the  word  ''authorized''''  to  those  ''hereby  directed'''^: 

1.  That  the  Librarian,  under  the  super^'ision  of  the  Committee  on  the 
Library-,  be  authorized  to  exchange  such  duplicates  as  may  be  in  the 
Library  for  other  books  or  works. 

2.  That  he  be  directed  in  the  same  way  to  exchange  documents. 

3.  That  hereafter  fifty  additional  copies  of  each  volume  of  documents, 
printed  by  order  of  either  House,  be  printed  and  bound  for  the  purpose  of 
exchange  in  foreign  countries,  and  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  central 
agency  in  Paris. 

Fifth.  The  above  regulations  being  understood  as  applying  exclusively 
to  works  of  a  scientific  character  and  promotive  of  intellectual  improve- 
ment, works  of  a  different  description  being  allowed  to  seek  the  usual 
channels  opened  by  those  engaged  in  the  book  trade.' 

This  memorial  was  referred  to  the  Library  Committee, 
which  reported  by  Mr.  Murph}^  in  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, May  4,  1848,  as  follows: 

With  these  general  views  of  the  plans  of  the  memorialist,  the  com- 
mittee believe  that  permanency,  regularity,  and  efl&ciency  to  the  system 
of  international  exchanges  can  best  be  secured  by  the  establishment  of  a 
common  general  agency  or  agencies  by  the  different  nations  entering  into 
the  arrangement.  Such  agency  could  act  not  only  for  the  governments, 
but  when  once  established  could  be  used  for  the  same  purpose  by  societies, 
authors,  inventors,  and  publishers.  By  devolving  the  duty  at  home 
upon  some  competent  agent,  with  provision  for  the  expense  of  packing 
the  books  and  transmitting  them  to  and  from  the  general  agent,  there  is 

'Thirtieth  Congress,  first  session.  Senate  miscellaneous  documents,  No.  46,  pp.  9,  10. 


26o  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

no  reason  why  the  interchange  should  not  continue  as  long  as  it  may  be 
the  pleasure  of  the  governments  concerned.  The  committee  do  not, 
however,  assent  to  the  proposition  of  the  memorialist  that  the  copj^ight 
law  be  so  amended  as  to  require  authors  and  publishers  to  furnish  to  the 
Government,  for  the  purpose  of  this  exchange,  a  number  of  copies  of 
their  works  in  addition  to  those  now  required  for  the  libraries  of  Con- 
gress and  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  They  have  already  expressed  it 
as  their  opinion  that  the  power  of  Congress  to  patronize  this  system  is 
limited  and  for  the  most  part  confined  to  the  books  published  for  the  use 
of  the  Government  or  of  Congress  in  the  performance  of  their  delegated 
duties;  but  even  if  the  power  existed,  they  deem  it  would  be  oppressive 
and  unjust  to  exact  from  the  proprietors  of  books  applying  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  law  anj^thing  more  than  is  necessary  to  aid  the  operation  of  the 
law.  The  tax  of  two  copies  is  now  seriously  objected  to  by  many  pub- 
lishers, and  an  increase  of  the  burden,  as  it  undoubtedlj-  would  be  in  the 
case  of  large  and  expensive  publications,  would,  in  such  cases,  tend  to 
retard  rather  than  "promote  the  progress  of  science  and  useful  arts," 
the  purpose  for  which  the  authority  to  enact  copyright  laws  is  conferred 
by  the  Constitution.  In  fact,  this  may  well  be  left  to  the  publishers 
themselves,  and  the  committee  believe  that  if  the  international  agency 
be  established  they  will  soon  discover  it  to  be  of  such  advantage  to  them, 
by  making  their  publications  known  in  quarters  where  both  fame  to  the 
author  and  profit  to  the  publisher  might  be  acquired,  as  in  many  cases 
gladly  to  avail  themselves  of  it. 

But  in  the  views  of  the  memorialist  generally  the  committee  are  happy 
to  concur.  After  the  success  which  has  thus  far  crowned  his  unwearied 
and  voluntary  labors  they  think  his  expectations  of  aid  from  us  have 
been  justly  formed  and  should  be  promptly  satisfied.  They  therefore 
recommend  that  the  committee  be  authorized  to  establish  such  agencies 
and  organize  such  a  plan  of  donation  and  exchange  as  they  may  deem 
best  for  this  purpose;  that  all  books  sent  to  the  Federal  or  State  govern- 
ments, to  any  departments,  or  libraries  of  either,  to  the  Academy  at 
West  Point,  or  to  the  National  Institute  be  admitted  duty  free,  and  that 
the  sum  of  $2,000  be  appropriated  to  enable  the  committee  to  carry  the 
measure  into  effect.     *     *     *' 

Accordingly,  on  the  26th  of  June  the  following  act  to 
regulate  the  exchange  of  certain  documents  and  other  publi- 
cations of  Congress  was  passed: 

Be  it  etiaded,  &c. ,  That  the  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library  shall 
appoint  such  agents  as  they  may  from  time  to  time  deem  requisite,  to 
carry  into  effect  the  donation  and  exchange  of  such  documents  and  other 
publications  as  have  been,  or  shall  be,  placed  at  their  disposal  for  the 
purpose. 

'Thirtieth  Congress,  first  session,  House  report  No.  590,  pp.  3-4. 


INTERNATIONAL  EXCHANGES.  261 

Sec.  2.  A7id  be  it  further  enacted,  That  all  books  transmitted  through 
such  agents  for  the  use  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States,  or  of 
any  government  of  a  State,  or  of  its  legislature,  or  of  any  department  of 
the  Government  of  the  United  States,  or  of  a  State,  or  of  the  Academy 
at  West  Point,  or  of  the  National  Institute,  shall  be  admitted  into  the 
United  States  duty  free. 

Sec.  3.  A7id  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  sum  of  two  thousand  dol- 
lars is  hereby  appropriated,  out  of  anj^  money  in  the  Treasury  not  other- 
wise appropriated;  and  the  same  is  put  at  the  disposal  of  the  Library 
Committee,  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  into  effect  such  agenc}'  and 
donation,  and  exchange,  and  of  paying  the  expenses  already  incurred 
in  relation  thereto.' 

Approved,  June  26,  1848. 

In  consequence  of  this  act  the  Committee  on  the  Library, 
July  25,  1848— 

Resolved,  That  Alexandre  Vattemare  be  appointed  agent  of  the  Joint 
Committee  on  the  Library  to  carry  into  effect  the  donation  and  exchange 
of  such  books  and  other  publications  as  are  or  shall  be  placed  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  committee  for  this  purpose,  under  the  "Act  to  regulate  the 
exchange  of  certain  documents  and  other  publications  of  Congress," 
said  agent  to  be  in  all  respects  subject  to  the  direction  of  the  committee. 

Resolved,  That  the  said  Vattemare' s  agency  shall  extend  only  to 
exchanges  between  the  United  States  and  foreign  countries  or  govern- 
ments, and  not  to  domestic  exchanges. 

Resolved,  That  the  chairman  draw  from  the  Treasury-,  and  place  in 
the  hands  of  the  said  Alexandre  Vattemare,  $1,500,  part  of  the  sum 
appropriated  by  the  said  act,  to  be  applied  to  his  personal  expenses 
already  incurred,  and  to  be  incurred  during  the  j-ear  ending  the  30th  of 
June,  1849,  and  to  defray  the  expenses  of  clerk  hire,  freight,  rent  of 
rooms,  and  other  necessary  expenditures  of  his  agencj-;  and  that  said 
agent  shall  annually  account  to  and  with  the  committee  concerning  the 
expenditure  of  said  sum.'' 

And  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  issued  the  following 
circular  instructions  to  collectors  and  other  o£B.cers  of  the 
customs:  ^ 

To  prevent  fraud  and  imposition,  all  documents  and  other  publications 
transmitted  to  the  United  States  must  bear  the  stamp  of  the  central  agenc)' 
at  Paris,  to  be  impressed,  in  the  case  of  books  or  pamphlets,  on  the  first 
and  last  pages  of  the  text  of  each  volume;  in  the  case  of  charts,  maps, 

'Two  thousand  dollars  more  was  appropriated  September  30,  1S50,  and  $r,ooo 
August  31,  1852. 

^Thirtieth  Congress,  first  session.  House  miscellaneous  documents,  No.  99,  p.  12. 
3Thirtietli  Congress,  first  session,  House  uiiscellaneous  documents,  No.  99,  p.  j6. 


262  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

prints,  etc.,  the  stamp  to  be  on  some  convenient  place  on  the  face  thereof. 
The  boxes  or  packages  will  be  addressed  to  the  care  of  the  collector  of 
the  customs  of  the  port  in  the  United  States  to  which  they  may  be 
shipped,  accompanied  by  a  letter  of  advice  and  a  descriptive  list.  On 
their  arrival  the  collector  is  enjoined  to  take  careful  charge  of  the  same, 
notifying  the  Department  of  their  receipt,  and  await  instructions  for 
their  disposal. 

Before  leaving  Washington  M.  Vattemare  addressed  a  letter 
to  the  House  of  Representatives  (August  11,  1848),  in  which 
he  begged  to  be  further  favored  by  contributions  of  the  news- 
papers, periodicals,  and  public  documents  of  the  various  States 
represented  in  that  body;  these,  he  obser\^ed,  he  could  not 
expect,  unless  they  could  be  sent  free  of  postage.  But, 
although  the  Senate  had  passed  a  bill  (July  11,  1848)  which 
provided  "  That  Alexandre  Vattemare,  agent  of  the  United 
States  for  international  exchange,  be,  and  he  is  hereby  author- 
ized to  frank  letters  or  packages  containing  books,  public 
documents,  maps,  specimens  of  the  arts,  medals,  sent  to  him 
from  any  foreign  country  to  the  United  States,  or  from  the 
United  States  to  any  foreign  country;  and,  also  to  receive  let- 
ters and  packages  appertaining  to  international  exchanges 
free  of  postage;  this  privilege  to  extend  to  the  mail  lines  of 
the  United  States,  to  foreign  countries:  Provided^  That  such 
letters  or  packages  shall  be  endorsed  on  the  envelope  *  Inter- 
national exchanges,'  and  shall  not  exceed  three  pounds  in 
weight;  and  it  shall  be  lawful  for  any  deputy  postmaster  to 
remit  the  postage  on  any  letter  or  package  not  so  endorsed, 
and  charged  with  postage,  directed  to  said  Vattemare,  if,  on 
opening  the  same,  he  shall  be  satisfied  that  it  appertains  to 
international  exchanges;'"  the  bill  got  no  further,  and  M. 
Vattemare  was  obliged  to  depend  upon  the  benevolence  of  the 
State  governments  and  of  private  citizens  for  contributions  of 
State  documents,  books,  periodicals,  and  newspapers. 

Before  leaving  America  M.  Vattemare  addressed  Congress 
a  second  time  upon  the  matter  of  State  publications,  books, 
periodicals,  and  newspapers.^  The  publications  of  the  Gov- 
ernment at  Washington,  he  felt,  were  but  a  small   part  of 

•  Thirtieth  Congress,  first  session,  House  miscellaneous  documents,  No.  99. 

'Thirty-first  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  miscellaneous  documents.  No.  126. 
Report  of  Alexandre  Vattemare  to  the  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library  in  relation 
to  international  exchanges.     September  28,  1S50. 


INTERNATIONAL  EXCHANGES.  263 

tlie  publications  of  the  United  States;  a  system  of  domestic 
exchanges  was  the  natural  complement  of  the  system  of 
international  exchanges;  the  agencies  in  such  a  system  of 
domestic  exchanges  might  be  made  agencies  in  the  system 
of  international  exchanges,  and  so  State  publications,  munic- 
ipal publications,  and  the  issues  of  the  local  press  might 
become  the  objects  of  exchange  between  the  libraries  not  of 
one  land  only,  but  of  all  lands.  "  If,"  he  said,  "  a  well-regu- 
lated and  permanent  system  of  domestic  exchanges  were  estab- 
lished between  the  United  States  and  city  corporations  of  the 
Union,  these  libraries  would  soon  acquire  great  importance 
and  usefulness.  The  nucleus  of  such  libraries  might  be  very 
readily  and  economically  formed  on  the  plan  alluded  to. 
They  would  not  only  present  a  faithful  picture  of  the  political 
affairs  of  the  Union,  present  and  past,  and  a  correct  view  of 
American  industry  and  genius  in  other  departments  of  intel- 
lectual labor,  but  by  a  system  of  exchanges  with  Europe  they 
would  grow  every  year  more  universal  in  their  character,  and 
contain  in  the  end  works  of  all  countries  and  languages,  illus- 
trating ever}^  people  and  epoch,  and  by  the  liberal  principle 
of  their  formation  be  freely  open  for  the  instruction  and 
delight  of  all.'" 

The  desire  of  M.  Vattemare  to  see  the  system  of  exchange 
fully  established  by  the  institution  of  agencies  in  all  the 
great  libraries  of  this  and  other  countries  was  not  to  be  satis- 
fied. As  far  as  the  Library  of  Congress  was  concerned,  how- 
ever, the  movement  was  so  successful  that  in  1850  a  member 
of  Congress  had  better  opportunities  for  information  regarding 
France  than  he  had  for  almost  any  State  in  the  Union.^ 

'  Thirty-first  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  miscellaneous  tlocuments,  No.  126,  p.  2. 

=* There  are  lists  of  books  received  by  the  Librarj'  through  international  exchange 
in  the  supplementary  catalogues  of  1848  and  1850.  There  is  a  list  of  works  presented 
by  the  French  Government  to  the  Library,  from  May  4,  1848,  to  June,  1850,  in  Thirty- 
first  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  miscellaneous  documents,  No.  126,  pp.  27-38. 
More  were  received  in  1851  (Minutes,  January  15,  1851)  and  in  1852.  Forty-four 
volumes  were  received  from  Baden,  217  from  Holland,  774  from  Belgium,  and  1,641 
from  France,  besides  630  volumes  forwarded  to  the  Library  from  M.  Vattemare's 
depot  in  New  York  to  supply  some  of  the  losses  occasioned  1jy  the  fire  of  1851. — 
Library  of  Congress  manu.script  entitled  "Fifth  annual  report  on  international 
exchanges,"  dated  Paris,  January  25,  1853.  21  pp.  4°.  This  refers  to  a  report  for 
1851,  dated  November  14,  1851.  The  first  report  of  the  agency  (Washington,  1S48, 
29  pp.,  8°)  contains  a  good  summary  of  the  history  of  the  Vattemare  movement  to 
the  end  of  1S48. 


264  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

The  exchange  of  documents  between  the  United  States  and 
France  led  also  to  the  receipt  of  further  offers  of  exchange 
on  the  part  of  other  governments — Canada/  Spain,''  Liberia,^ 
Bavaria,"  Russia  "^ — and  the  donation  of  public  documents  by 
the  Governments  of  Switzerland,^  Sardinia,^  and  Great  Brit- 
ain;^ the  last  through  the  British  Museum,  in  response  to 
an  order  of  the  Library  Committee  that  the  Librarian  be 
authorized  to  propose  to  Mr.  Panizzi,  librarian  of  the  British 
Museum,  an  exchange  of  a  copy  of  the  legislative  documents 
published  by  order  of  Congress  for  a  copy  of  legislative  docu- 
ments published  by  order  of  the  British  Parliament.^ 

The  success  of  the  system  did  not,  however,  come  up  to 
the  expectations  of  members  of  Congress,  and  when  on  the 
31st  of  August,  1852,  the  further  sum  of  $1,000  was  appro- 
priated to  defray  freight  and  other  expenses  incurred  under 
the  act  of  June  26,  1848,  the  act  was  repealed.  In  explana- 
tion of  this  action  the  Librarian  wrote  to  M.  Vattemare,  on 
June  15,  1853,  as  follows: 

I  am  directed  to  inform  you  that  Congress,  on  the  31st  of  August 
last,  rescinded  the  law  under  which  you  were  appointed  agent  of  the 
Library  Committee,  to  attend  to  international  exchanges  between  them 
and  such  governments,  &c.,  as  they  might  designate;  and  that,  at  the 
same  time.  Congress  appropriated  one  thousand  dollars  to  settle  up  and 
close  the  business  of  the  agency. 

The  committee  have  been  greatly  disappointed  in  not  receiving  from 
the  Government  of  France,  or  from  any  other  government,  through 
your  agency,  complete  copies  of  the  official  reports  made  by  the  minis- 
ters to  the  National  legislatures,  and  such  other  printed  documents, 
legislative  and  ministerial,  as  would  enable  them  to  acquire  the  same 

'Minutes,  February  6,  1850,  December  18,  1850. 

=  Ibid.,  March  27,  1850. 

3Ibid.,  Februarys,  1851. 

■•Ibid.,  January  10,  1853. 

s  Ibid.,  December  10,  1856. 

^National  Intelligencer,  December  8,  1854;  Star,  December  7. 

7 House  resolution,  June  14,  t86o. 

^Minutes,  January  21,  1848;  Thirty-seventh  Congress,  third  session,  Senate  report 
No.  73,  January  13,  1863. 

5* Minutes,  July  27,  1854.  April  29,  1836,  President  Jackson  transmitted  to  Congress 
a  copy  of  the  catalogue  of  the  Arundel  MSS.  in  the  British  Museum  which  had  been 
forwarded  to  him  by  the  trustees  of  that  institution  for  the  purpose  of  being  placed 
in  the  United  States  Library. — James  D.  Richardson,  Messages  and  papers  of  the 
Presidents,  3:  226. 


INTERNATIONAL  EXCHANGES.  265 

satisfactor}'  knowledge  of  their  public  affairs  as  is  given  of  our  public 
affairs  in  the  printed  documents  of  the  United  States. 

The  documents  we  sent  to  the  Government  of  France  were  perfect  in 
every  particular,  and  they  were  well  bound.  We  deemed  this  necessary 
to  our  own  self-respect,  and  particularly  due  in  courtesy  to  so  liberal 
and  so  noble  a  nation  and  friend  as  we  have  always  considered  France. 

The  first  supply  of  documents  we  received  from  France  came  in  com- 
plete sets,  and  they  were  bound  in  the  best  style.  We  felt  proud  of 
them,  and  took  pleasure  in  exhibiting  them  in  our  Library  because  it 
was  evident  that  they  had  been  carefully  prepared  for  us,  as  each  volume 
had  recorded  on  it,  "From  France  to  the  United  States."  These  docu- 
ments came  to  us  through  Mr.  Paget,  Minister  Plenipotentiary  of 
France,  to  the  United  States. 

The  documents  we  have  received  since,  through  your  agency,  have 
been  imperfect  as  a  collection,  were  done  up  in  pamphlet  style  merely 
as  they  were  prepared  for  ordinary  use,  and  seemed  rather  to  have  been 
selected  by  yourself  than  to  have  been  intended  by  the  Government  as 
a  continuation  of  the  supply  first  sent  to  the  Library. 

The  cause  for  this  change  has  not  been  communicated  to  the  Library 
Committee.  We  feel  satisfied  that  it  did  not  originate  in  an  unwilling- 
ness on  the  part  of  France  to  interchange  printed  documents  and  other 
publications  with  us,  and  have  been  constrained  to  believe  that  an 
unwillingness  exists  in  regard  to  the  mode  in  which  the  interchange 
has  been  attempted.  France  may  consider  it  undignified  and  conse- 
quently be  opposed  to  holding  national  intercourse  except  through 
recognized  ofl&cers  of  Government.  Application  will  therefore  be  made 
for  an  exchange  through  an  official  agency. 

Dissatisfaction  seems  to  prevail,  too,  among  the  cities  and  societies  to 
which  the  Library  Committee  have  sent  our  printed  documents,  &c., 
through  your  agency.  Not  even  an  acknowledgment  of  the  receipt  of 
them  has  been  communicated  to  the  committee.  An  acknowledgment 
at  least  was  due  and  expected  from  them.     *     *     * ' 

On  the  13th  of  July,  1854,  the  committee  ''''Voted^  That 
the  chairman  be  authorized  to  pay  M.  Vattemare  $1,000  of 
the  fund  for  international  exchange  in  full  for  his  ser\aces." 

During  the  remainder  of  the  period  before  1865  only 
$1,200  was  appropriated  for  the  purpose  of  international 
exchanges — $600  in  1857  and  the  same  amount  in  1858. 

'  Library  of  Congress.  Letter  book.  There  are  further  letters  of  interest  on  this 
subject  from  Librarian  Meehan  to  Senator  Pearce,  Sept.  6,  1854,  to  M.  Vattemare, 
Oct.  8,  1858,  and  from  Vattemare  to  Meehan,  Feb.  19,  1859. 


266  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

Distribution  of  Public  Documents. 

The  failure  of  the  Library  of  Congress  as  a  bureau  of 
literary  exchange,  together  with  the  increased  interest  in  the 
publications  of  the  Government  which  was  the  outcome  of 
the  Vattemare  movement,  led  Congress,  in  1857,  to  transfer 
the  distribution  of  public  documents  to  the  Department  of  the 
Interior  and  the  exchange  of  public  documents  with  foreign 
countries  to  the  Department  of  State.  From  a  general  stand- 
point this  was  an  unfortunate  separation  of  the  functions 
of  distribution  and  exchange;  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
Library  it  was  nothing  less  than  a  disaster,  because  it 
degraded  the  Library  from  its  position  as  custodian  of  the 
public  documents  and  withdrew  from  it  the  most  important 
source  for  the  supply  of  a  class  of  literature  of  the  greatest 
importance  in  a  national  library. 

In  1855  (February  26)  a  resolution  to  effect  this  had 
passed  the  Senate,  but  got  no  further.  In  1856  (August  11) 
the  same  resolution  had  again  passed  the  Senate,  but  again 
had  got  no  further.  Finally,  however,  on  the  28th  of  Janu- 
ar}^,  1857,  the  following  joint  resolution  respecting  the  dis- 
tribution of  certain  public  documents  was  passed: 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States 
of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  ten  copies  of  the  journals 
and  other  documents  of  Congress,  authorized  by  law  to  be  deposited  in 
the  Library  of  Congress,  by  section  three  of  the  joint  resolution  of  May 
twentj'-fourth,  eighteen  hundred  and  twenty-eight,  shall  hereafter  be 
deposited  with  the  Secretary  of  State  for  foreign  exchanges;  and  the 
fifty  copies  of  the  journals  and  documents  of  the  Senate  and  House  of 
Representatives  ordered  to  be  placed  in  the  Library  of  Congress  for 
foreign  exchanges,  by  joint  resolution  of  July  twentieth,  eighteen  hun- 
dred and  forty;  and  the  fifty  copies  of  the  journals  and  documents  of 
the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  authorized  to  be  deposited 
with  the  Secretary  of  State  by  the  joint  resolution  of  April  thirtieth, 
eighteen  hundred  and  forty-four,  shall  hereafter  be  deposited  with  the 
Secretary  of  the  Interior. 

Sec  2.  And  be  it  further  resolved,  That  instead  of  one  hundred  copies 
of  the  journals  and  documents  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  author- 
ized to  be  printed  by  the  joint  resolution  of  April  thirtieth,  eighteen 
hundred  and  forty-four,  there  shall  hereafter  be  printed  fifty  copies  only. 

Sec  3.   And  be  it  further  resolved.  That  the  journals  and  Congressional 


DISTRIBUTION   OF   PUBLIC   DOCUMENTS.  267 

documents  heretofore  deposited  in  the  Library  of  Congress  by  authority 
of  the  above-cited  resolutions,  and  so  many  of  the  four  hundred  copies 
of  the  public  documents  sent  to  the  State  Department  as  are  now  dis- 
tributed by  that  department  to  colleges  and  other  literary  institutions, 
shall  be  deposited  with  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  for  distribution  to 
such  colleges,  pviblic  libraries,  athenaeums,  literary  and  scientific  institu- 
tions, boards  of  trade,  or  public  associations  as  may  be  designated  by  him. 

Sec.  4.  And  be  ii  further  resolved,  That  two  copies  of  the  journals  and 
documents  indicated  in  the  above-cited  resolutions,  so  far  as  they  have 
been  saved  from  the  late  fire,  shall  be  reserved  for  the  Library  of 
Congress. 

Sec.  5.  A7id  be  it  further  resolved,  That  in  future  two  copies  only  of 
the  journals  and  documents,  or  any  book  printed  by  either  House  of  Con- 
gress, well  bound  in  calf,  shall  be  deposited  in  the  Library,  and  not  to 
be  taken  therefrom.' 

Approved,  January  28,  1857. 

May  10,  1858,  the  Speaker  laid  before  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives a  list  of  books  removed  from  the  basement  of  the 
Capitol,  prepared  by  the  Doorkeeper  of  the  House.  Mr.  Pettit 
moved  that  the  paper  be  referred  to  the  Committee  on  the 
Library,  and,  since  the  subject  had  attracted  some  public 
notice,  took  the  opportunity  to  say  that  in  his  judgment  most 
of  the  books  listed  had  been  legally  under  the  control  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Interior  since  the  passage  of  the  act  of  Janu- 
ary 28,  1857,  authorizing  the  distribution  of  journals  and 
other  public  documents  by  that  Department.  The  motion 
was  agreed  to  and  the  communication  printed  as  Thirty-fifth 
Congress,  first  session,  House  miscellaneous  document  No. 
129.  These  books  consisted  of  United  States  public  docu- 
ments and  of  French  and  Latin  works,  the  latter  probably 
received  through  the  Vattemare  exchange.  The  documents 
were  transferred  to  the  Department  of  the  Interior.  The 
foreign  publications  were  transferred  to  the  Library  of 
Congress.^ 

»  Note  also  the  amendments  to  the  above  act  passed  during  this  period — the  resolu- 
tion of  March  20,  1858,  and  the  act  of  I'ebruary  5,  1859,  neither  of  which,  however, 
offered  anything  new  regarding  the  Literary. 

'  There  is  a  list  of  documents  received  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Interior  August  and  September,  1858,  in  the  Report  of  the  Secretary  of 
the  Interior  for  1858,  Thirty-fifth  Congress,  second  session,  Senate  executive  docu- 
ment No.  I,  pp.  99-105.  Note  also  the  letters  from  Librarian  Meehan  to  Moses 
Kelly,  Aug.  3,  1858,  to  Joseph  L.  Wright,  Aug.  5,  10,  16,  and  to  Jacob  Thompson, 
Aug.  19. 


268  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

In  addition  to  these  legislative  measures  affecting  the 
organization  of  the  departments  of  law  and  of  documents, 
another  must  be  mentioned,  viz,  the  reenactment  March  29, 
1848,  of  the  provisions  of  the  act  of  February  11,  1825, 
pro\dding  for  the  remission  of  duties  on  books,  maps,  and 
charts  imported  for  the  use  of  the  Library  of  Congress. 

On  the  19th  of  December,  1846,  the  committee  received  a 
letter  from  Edgar  Irving,  agent  in  the  New  York  custom- 
house, to  attend  to  cases  of  books,  etc.,  imported  from 
Europe  on  the  orders  of  the  committee,  in  w^hich  he  stated 
that  in  future  duties  would  be  charged  on  all  such  importa- 
tions, agreeably  to  the  new  tariff  law,  and  suggested  that  it 
would  be  found  necessary  to  give  a  power  of  attorney  to  an 
agent  in  New  York  to  pay  such  duties  and  take  the  books, 
etc.,  from  the  custom-house.  And  it  was  "  Ordered^  That  the 
Librarian  send  such  power  of  attome}'  to  the  agent,  Edgar 
Irving,  and  give  him  the  necessary  instructions  in  relation 
to  the  payment  of  duties  and  forwarding  the  books,  etc.,  to 
the  Library  of  Congress."  And  on  March  3,  1848,  it  was 
"  Voted ^  That  the  chairman  of  the  committee  be  requested 
to  report  a  joint  resolution  to  the  Senate  authorizing  and 
directing  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  admit,  free  of  duty, 
all  books,  maps,  charts,  etc.,  that  may  be  imported  for  use  in 
the  Library  of  Congress."  Accordingly,  on  the  4th  of  March, 
1848,  Mr.  Pearce  introduced  a  bill  in  the  Senate  to  remit  the 
duties  on  books,  maps,  and  charts,  imported  for  the  use  of 
the  Library  of  Congress.  He  explained  that  it  was  merely 
a  transcript  of  the  former  law,  which  had  just  expired.  He 
anticipated  no  objection  to  the  bill,  as  it  must  be  apparent  to 
everyone  that  the  payment  of  duties  in  this  case  was  merely 
taking  money  out  of  one  pocket  to  put  it  in  the  other.  It 
was  accordingly  passed.  On  the  23d  this  was  reported  in 
the  House,  with  an  amendment  which  was  agreed  to,  and  on 
the  following  day  concurred  in  by  the  Senate. 

AN  ACT  to  remit  the  duties  on  books,  maps,  and  charts  imported  for  the  use  of 

the  Library  of  Congress. 

Be  it  enacted,  &c. ,  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  be,  and  he  hereby 
is,  directed  to  remit  all  duties  upon  such  books,  maps,  and  charts  as 
have  been  during  the  present  year,  or  hereafter  may  be,  imported  into 


THE  COLLECTION   OF  BOOKS  IN    1 85 1.  269 

the  United  States  by  authority  of  the  Joint  Library  Committee  of  Con- 
gress, for  the  use  of  the  Library  of  Congress:  Provided,  That  if,  in  any 
case,  a  contract  shall  have  been  made  with  any  bookseller,  importer,  or 
other  person,  for  books,  maps,  or  charts,  in  which  contract  the  book- 
seller, importer,  or  other  person  aforesaid,  shall  have  paid  the  duty  or 
included  the  duty  in  said  contract,  in  such  case  the  duty  shall  not  be 
remitted. 

Approved,  March  29,  1848. 

CHARACTER  OF  THE  LIBRARY  IN  1851. 

As  a  result  of  these  activities  of  the  Library  authorities 
and  of  the  annual  appropriation  of  $5,000  for  the  purchase 
of  books, — "  Congress  votes  for  its  Library  $5,000  and  for  sta- 
tionery above  $100,000,"  said  the  Literary  World^  January  6, 
1849,^ — ^^^  Library  in  185 1  was  considered  locally  as  unques- 
tionably the  most  intrinsically  valuable  for  its  size  in  the 
world.  "It  is  selected,"  said  the  Intelligencer^  "and  contains 
little  trash.  All  branches  of  human  learning  are  well  repre- 
sented, and  the  collections  relating  to  histor}-,  politics,  religion, 
natural  science,  mechanics,  the  fine  arts,  and  geography  are 
especially  full  and  valuable."^  Indeed,  mineralogy,  medi- 
cine, and  botan}^  were  the  only  branches  in  which  the  Library 
was  at  all  deficient.^ 

Those  who  were  acquainted  with  the  great  libraries  in  the 
northern  cities,  however,  viev/ed  the  collections  in  the  Library 
of  Congress  with  a  more  critical  eye. 

The  North  A^nerican  Review^  for  example,  thought  that 
the  Library  possessed  "far  too  many  of  those  trifling  produc- 
tions W'hich,  after  the  year  of  their  publication  is  over,  become 
a  useless  burden  on  its  shelves.""^ 

To-day^  a  Boston  literary  journal,  said  of  the  Library:  "It 
was  collected  by  different  committees,  of  course  without  any 
continued  sj-stem,  and  it  exhibited  quite  curiously  the  whims 
of  Congresses  and  Congressmen.  For  instance,  there  was 
always  a  demand  for  heraldry  books.     In  compliance  with  this 

'$2,000  more  was  appropriated  for  the  purchase  of  law  books. 

''National  Intelligencer,  February  3  and  June  8,  1849;  Charles  J.  Ingersoll,  Second 
war  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain,  second  series,  2:  274  (1852). 
Francis  J.  Grund,  Aristocracy  in  America;  from  the  sketchbook  of  a  German  noble- 
man, 2:  235  (1839). 

3  Elliot,  Washington  guide,  p.  92;  National  Intelligencer,  January  8,  1834. 

^ North  American  Review  (1837),  45:  139. 


270  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1829-1851. 

the  committees  kept  it  up  to  the  time  in  all  the  English 
publications  of  that  sort.  Our  members  from  the  West 
thronged  that  alcove  on  their  first  arrival,  and  man}^  an  hon- 
orable gentleman  could  not  rest  till  the  Chairman  of  the 
Library  Committee  had  translated  his  Latin  family  motto  for 
him. 

"There  had  to  be  assortments  of  show}^  picture  books  for 
the  danglers  who  made  the  Library  room  their  flirting  place 
in  the  session.  These  are  all  gone,  but  they  had  been  terri- 
bly thumbed  first. 

"Any  private  person,  with  the  $250,000  spent  for  this 
Librar}",  would  have  a  collection  of  four  times  its  value.  But 
'Uncle  Sam  never  gets  his  money's  worth."" 

And  the  Hon.  George  Perkins  Marsh  in  his  speech  on  the 
bill  for  establishing  the  Smithsonian  Institution  delivered  in 
the  House  of  Representatives,  April  23,  1846,  gave  the  fol- 
lowing account  of  its  deficiencies  from  the  point  of  view  of  the 
scientist  and  bibliographer: 

The  Library  of  Congress  [said  he]  contains  more  than  40,000  volumes, 
in  general  valuable  and  well  chosen,  with  not  many  duplicates — not 
many  books  that  one  would  altogether  reject.  It  is  not  composed,  like 
too  many  of  our  public  libraries,  in  any  considerable  degree  of  books 
which  have  been  given  because  the  proprietor  found  them  too  worthless 
to  keep,  but  it  has  been  almost  wholly  purchased  and  selected  from  the 
best  European  sale  catalogues,  and  yet  there  is  no  one  branch  of  liberal 
stud}',  even  among  those  of  greatest  interest  to  ourselves,  in  which  it  is 
not  miserably  deficient.  *  *  *  It  does  not  probably  contain  one- 
fourth  even  of  the  small  proportion  of  Brunet's  list,  which  I  have 
described  as  of  intrinsic  and  permanent  value.  *  ^-  ^  The  Biblio- 
theca  Historica  Sueo-Gothica  of  Warmholtz,  the  last  volume  of  which 
appeared  in  18 17,  enumerates  no  less  than  10,000  works  illustrative  of 
the  history  of  Sweden  alone;  and  the  thirty  j'ears  since  have  added 
greatly  to  the  number.  The  literatur-lexicon  of  Nyerup,  published  in 
1820,  gives  the  titles  of  probably  an  equal  number  of  Danish  works. 
Holland,  too,  has  noble  historians,  naturalists,  poets,  and  dramatists, 
and  has  produced  many  works  of  unsurpassed  value  upon  the  history 
of  commerce  and  navigation.  Of  all  these  the  Library  of  Congress,  as 
far  as  I  remember,  does  not  possess  a  volume.  You  have  none  of  the 
numerous  writers  of  the  vast  Empire  of  Russia,  or  of  Poland;  nothing  of 
the  curious  literatures  of'  Hungary  and  Bohemia;  not  a  volume  in  the 

'  To-day  i:  32,  January,  1852. 


THE  COLLECTION  OF  BOOKS  IN  1 85 1.        271 

language  of  Portugal,  rich  as  it  is  in  various  literature,  and  especially 
in  the  wild  yet  true  romance  of  oriental  discovery  and  conquest;  only 
the  commonest  books  in  Italian  and  Spanish;  and  in  the  boundless  world 
of  oriental  learning,  of  which  our  increasing  commercial  relations  with 
the  countries  of  the  East  render  it  highly  desirable  that  we  should 
possess  the  means  of  acquiring  a  knowledge,  you  have  nothing  to  show 
but  a  few  translations  of  the  Bible  and  perhaps  some  works  of  devotion 
or  elementary  religious  doctrine  which  American  missionaries  have  pre- 
sented )'OU;  and  if  you  turn  to  the  two  great  literatures — to  that  of 
Germany,  which  embraces  ever>'  field  of  human  inquirj^  the  efforts  of 
whose  scholars  have  done  more  to  extend  the  bounds  of  modern  knowl- 
edge than  the  united  labors  of  the  rest  of  the  Christian  world — while 
more  than  one-half  of  our  population  is  of  recent  German  origin  and 
German  is  the  vernacular  tongue  of  extensive  districts  of  American  soil, 
the  Library  of  Congress  contains  not  100,  probably  not  50,  volumes  in 
that  noble  language.  And  even  in  English  literature  our  Library-  is 
sadly  meager.  Hov/  far  are  we  from  possessing  a  tolerably  complete 
series  of  the  English  printed  books  of  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  cen- 
turies, or  even  of  that  best  age  of  English  learning,  that  age  with  which 
every  honest  American  most  truly  sympathizes — the  age  of  Cromwell 
and  Milton?  Would  it  not  be  well  to  have  at  our  command  the  means 
of  enabling  some  diligent  scholar  to  write  what  has  not  yet  been  worthily 
written,  or  indeed,  scarce  even  attempted — a  complete  histor>'  of  the  lit- 
erature of  our  Anglo-Saxon  mother  tongue,  or  to  perform  that  herculean 
task  which,  in  spite  of  the  vaunted  but  feeble  labors  of  Webster,  remains 
still  to  be  accomplished — the  preparation  of  a  respectable  English  dic- 
tionar>^?  If  there  is  any  department  of  learning  in  which  a  librar>^ 
selected  for  the  use  of  the  representatives  of  a  democracy  should  be 
complete,  it  is  that  of  histor}-.  But  what  have  we  of  the  sources  of 
historical  investigation?  Histories,  indeed,  we  have,  but  little  histor>'. 
True,  we  have  Robertson  and  Hume  and  Voltaire  and  Gibbon,  and, 
above  all,  Alison,  a  popular  writer  in  these  days.  *  ■<=  *  But  of 
those  materials  from  which  true  history  is  to  be  drawn  we  have  little, 
very  little.  The  works  belonging  to  the  proper  history  of  the  American 
continent  alone,  everj-one  of  which  it  would  be  highl}-  desirable  to  pos- 
sess, number  certainly  more  than  20,000  volumes — fully  equal  to  one- 
half  the  Congressional  Librarj- — and  of  these  we  have  as  yet  but  a 
small  proportion. 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1852-1864 
23399—04 18  273 


Chapter  Eight, 
development  of  the  library,  1852-1864. 

On  the  morning  of  the  24th  of  December,  1851,  the  develop- 
ment of  the  Library  was  interrupted  by  a  fire  which  destroyed 
more  than  half  of  the  collection  of  books  in  the  Library,  includ- 
ing about  two-thirds  of  the  Jefferson  collection.  The  part 
destroyed  was  shelved  in  the  main  library  room,  to  which  the 
conflagration  was  mainly  confined.  The  parts  saved  were  in 
the  north  rooms  and  in  the  law  room  in  the  basement  beneath. 

The  following  account  of  the  fire  was  given  in  the  National 
Intelligencer  on  the  following  day: ' 

A  fire  broke  out  iu  the  Library  of  Congress  yesterday  at  about  a  quarter 
to  8  o'clock,  and  about  35,000  volumes  of  most  choice  and  valuable  books 
were  destroyed,  together  with  precious  collections  of  manuscripts,  paint- 
ings, maps,  charts,  medals,  statuary,  and  articles  of  vertjc,  the  property  of 
the  Government  and  people  of  the  United  States.  The  origin  of  the 
fire  is  enveloped  in  mystery,  which  we  hardly  think  will  ever  be  cleared 
up.  From  the  best  information  we  have  been  able  to  obtain,  it  appears 
that  smoke  or  flame,  or  both,  were  observed  through  the  windows  from 
without.  Immediately  upon  this  Mr.  John  W.  Jones,  one  of  the  guards 
in  charge  of  the  Capitol,  with  another  person,  a  Mr.  Hollohan,  forced 
their  way  into  the  Library  b}''  the  principal  entrance  and  found  that  the 
large  table  at  the  north  end  of  the  room  was  on  fire,  together  with  a  por- 
tion of  the  shelving  and  books  in  the  alcoves  on  the  right  or  northeast 
and  between  the  table  and  the  door  at  the  north  end  of  the  room  leading 
to  the  law  library. 

At  this  time  Mr.  Jones  says  that  half  a  dozen  buckets  of  water  would 
have  sufficed  to  extinguish  the  fire.  His  companion  and  himself,  per- 
ceiving this,  immediately  ran  below  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  the  requi- 
site fluid,  but  the  draft  which  their  entrance  had  necessarily  produced 
lent  such  vigor  to  the  flames  that  by  the  time  they  returned  the  whole 
room  was  irrecoverably  won  to  the  power  of  the  destroying  element. 
The  flames  seemed  to  glide  over  and  above  the  gallery  as  if  its  material 

'  The  same  account,  in  the  main,  is  given  in  the  Telegraph  December  24,  27  and  30, 
1851,  and  January  2  and  5,  1852;  in  the  Globe  December  25;  in  the  Union  December 
25,  28,  and  30;  in  the  Republic  December  25,  27,  and  30;  and  in  the  News  December 
27,  1851,  and  January  3,  1852.  The  observations  of  the  Huntress  January  3,  1S52, 
may  also  be  noted. 

27$ 


276  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

were  of  the  most  combustible  character,  for  scarcely  any  appreciable 
time  was  occupied  in  wrapping  the  whole  vaulted  hall  in  mingled  volumes 
of  smoke  and  fire. 

At  the  earliest  possible  moment  the  fire  companies  of  the  city  repaired 
to  the  scene,  the  Columbia,  as  we  think,  being  the  first;  but  the  hose 
being  in  a  frozen  condition  from  its  use  a  few  hours  before  at  the  fire  on 
Eighth  street,  with  the  thermometer  at  zero,  had  to  be  taken  to  the  new 
gas  factory  on  the  canal  to  be  thawed.  Five  minutes  afterwards  the 
Anacostia  engine  arrived,  and,  its  apparatus  being  in  good  working  order, 
it  was  the  first  to  act  with  effect.  In  quick  succession  seven  engines 
were  on  the  ground,  gallantly  vieing  with  each  other  to  render  service. 
Very  soon  a  body  of  United  States  marines  from  the  navy-yard  were 
ordered  up  to  assist  in  bearing  water,  keeping  order,  and  protecting 
property;  and  very  useful  indeed  did  they  prove  throughout  the  day. 
A  large  engine  was  drawn  up  the  steps  of  the  east  portico,  and  another 
run  into  the  Rotunda,  and  from  thence  supplied  a  jet  of  water  of  great 
power  and  eflSciency.  This  was  done,  we  believe,  without  any  injury 
being  sustained  by  the  great  historical  paintings  around  the  Rotunda 
walls. 

Notwithstanding  the  fortunate  circumstances  that  the  walls  of  the 
Library  rose  so  high  as,  in  a  measure,  to  separate  that  department  of  the 
Capitol  edifice  from  the  rest,  at  least  to  the  extent  of  giving  it  a  distinct 
roof,  it  was  found  that  fire  had  communicated  to  the  main  roof,  which 
was,  however,  stopped  by  the  gallant  members  of  the  Anacostia  com- 
pany, who  cut  away  with  their  axes  so  much  of  the  roof  as  seemed  to  be 
in  harm's  way.  In  like  manner  a  portion  of  the  stairway  leading  to  the 
top  of  the  Dome  having  taken  fire,  it  was  extinguished  by  the  same 
devoted  band. 

The  heat  of  the  fire  at  the  distance  of  the  pillars  in  front  of  the 
Library  (for  the  fire  itself  never  reached  them)  was  so  great  as  to  scale 
them  off  in  places  a  quarter  of  an  inch  thick,  taking  not  merely  the 
painting  but  the  stone  under  it. 

We  have  stated  above  that  about  35,000  volumes  of  books  were 
destroyed;  this  is  estimated  from  the  number  saved,  which  is  20,000, 
the  original  contents  of  the  Library  being  about  55,000  volumes  in  all. 
The  contents  only  of  the  principal  hall  were  consumed,  the  north  room 
and  the  law  library  not  having  been  visited  by  the  fire  owing  to  the 
thickness  of  the  intervening  walls. 

Besides  the  number  of  books,  a  number  of  superior  paintings,  hang- 
ing around  the  Library  walls  and  between  the  alcoves,  were  included  in 
the  destruction.'  Of  these  we  can  call  to  mind  Stuart's  paintings  of  the 
first  five  Presidents;  an  original  portrait  of  Columbus;  a  second  portrait 

'Of  these  portraits,  at  that  time  on  exhibition  in  the  Library,  those  of  Madison 
and  Monroe,  somewhat  damaged,  were  rescued  {Union,  March  iS,  1857).  The  his- 
tory of  those  portraits  is  given  by  Clarence  W.  Bowen,  in  his  History  of  the  cen- 
tennial celebration  of  the  inauguration  of  George  Washington,  New  York,  1892, 
P-  505. 


FIRE  OF  DECEMBER  24,  1851.  277 

of  Columbus;  an  original  portrait  of  Peyton  Randolph;  a  portrait  of 
Bolivar;  a  portrait  of  Baron  Steuben  by  Pyne,  an  English  artist  of  merit; 
one  of  Baron  De  Kalb;  one  of  Cortez,  and  one  of  Judge  Hanson,  of 
Maryland,  presented  to  the  Librar}''  by  his  family.  Between  eleven 
and  twelve  bronze  medals  of  the  Vattemare  exchange,'  some  of  them 
more  than  ten  centuries  old  and  exceedingly  perfect,  are  amongst  the 
valuables  destroyed.  Of  the  statuary  burnt  and  rendered  worthless  we 
recollect  a  statue  of  Jefferson;  an  Apollo  in  bronze  by  Mills;  a  very 
superior  bronze  likeness  of  Washington;  a  bust  of  General  Taylor  by  an 
Italian  artist,  and  a  bust  of  Lafayette  by  David. 

We  have  only  heard  of  three  books  saved  from  the  principal  Library, 
namely,  the  Librarian's  record,  an  account  book,  and  an  odd  volume  of 
Lord  Kingsborough's  magnificent  work  on  the  antiquities  of  Mexico. 

We  must  say  that  we  consider  the  system  adopted  by  the  Government 
for  the  protection  of  the  public  buildings  and  property  as  essentially 
defective,  as  the  various  conflagrations  which  have  taken  place — first  of 
the  War  Office  building,  next  of  this  very  Library  part  of  the  Capitol 
in  1826,  then  of  the  Treasurj^  building,  next  of  the  General  Post-Oflfice 
edifice,  and  now  the  Congressional  Library'  again — must  prove. 

We  must  express  our  unqualified  admiration  for  and  warm  thanks  to 
the  firemen  and  other  citizens  who,  in  such  a  freezing  night,  turned  out 
to  save  from  destruction,  if  possible,  the  property  of  their  fellow-citizens, 
and  with  an  energy  and  perseverance  beyond  all  praise  continued  their 
exertions  till  noon  the  next  day,  when  the  fire  at  the  Capitol  was  at 
length  .subdued  and  they  permitted  to  seek  rest  at  home — indeed,  the 
engines  were  as  late  as  3  p.  m.  yesterday  still  throwing  water  into  the 
burnt  hall  and  upon  its  immense  mass  of  charred  and  smoking,  steaming 
rubbish  to  insure  the  entire  extinction  of  the  fire. 

A  strong  guard  of  marines  from  the  navy-j-ard,  with  a  body  of  the  city 
police,  were  posted  last  evening  around  the  Capitol,  to  be  ready  in  case 
an}'  new  emergencj'  should  arise.  Congress,  at  its  resumption  of  business 
on  Frida}',  will  no  doubt  take  measures  by  which  a  searching  investi- 
gation into  all  the  circumstances  of  this  sad  conflagration  will  be  had.' 

On  the  26th  of  December  the  Speaker  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  received  the  following  communication  regard- 
ing the  effects  of  the  iire  from  Librarian  Meehan: 

Library  of  Congress,  December  2^,  1851. 
Sir:  It  is  my  very  painful  duty  to  communicate  to  Congress  the 
destruction  of  the  books,  paintings,  statuary,  medals,  and  other  property 
of  the  principal  saloon  of  their  Library,  yesterday  morning,  b}'  fire  that 
originated  in  the  room,  in  a  manner  to  me  altogether  unaccountable,  as 
no  fires  have  been  used  in  it  for  a  long  time,  and  no  candles,  lamps,  or 

'The   niedaLs   damaged  by  the  fire  were  in   1861   presented  to  the  Smithsonian 
Institution. 
^  National  Intelligencer,  December  25,  1S51. 


278  DEVELOPMENT  OE  THE  LIBRARY,  1 85  2-1 864. 

other  lights  have  ever  beeu  used  in  it  during  the  whole  time  that  it  has 
been  under  my  charge. 

I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  the  precise  number  of  the  books 
that  were  destroyed,  but  believe  that  it  may  be  estimated  at  about  thirty- 
five  thousand. 

It  is  truly  gratifying  to  have  it  in  my  power  to  add  that  about  twenty 
thousand  volumes  of  books  that  were  in  the  law  room  and  in  the  two 
rooms  adjoining  the  saloon  of  the  library  are  safe.  Many  of  these  books 
belong  to  the  library  of  the  late  President  Jefferson  that  was  purchased 
by  Congress  in  the  year  18 15. 

They  constitute  the  several  chapters  in  the  catalogue  of  the  Library, 
agreeably  to  Mr.  Jefferson's  classification,  under  the  following  heads: 
Ancient  history,  American  history,  Ecclesiastical  history.  Chemistry, 
Mineralogy  and  conchology,  Moral  philosophy.  Law  of  nature  and 
nations,  the  five  chapters  composing  the  law  department  of  the  Library, 
Religion,  Politics  (including  the  science  of  legislation,  political  economy, 
commerce,  banking  statistics,  etc.),  part  of  the  chapter  on  Architecture, 
and  the  entire  chapter  on  Music,  Dialogue  and  epistolary.  Logic,  Rhetoric 
and  orations,  and  the  Theory  of  criticism. 

I  sincerely  hope  the  searching  investigation  Congress  will  give  to  the 
distressing  event,  which  every  lover  of  science  and  literature  must  deeply 
deplore,  will  lead  to  a  detection  of  the  causes  that  produced  it,  and  to 
the  adoption  of  means  that  will  prevent,  in  all  future  time,  a  recurrence 
of  the  sad  calamity. 

With  the  most  respectful  regard,  I  have  the  honor  to  be. 
Your  obedient  servant, 

John  S.  Meehan, 

Librarian. 

To  the  Hon.  Lynn  Boyd, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives, 

U.  S.  Congress.^ 

This  communication  having  been  laid  before  the  House 
and  read,  Mr.  Stanton,  of  Kentuck}^,  introduced  the  follow- 
ing resolution,  which  was  read  the  first  and  second  time: 

JOINT  RESOIyUTlON  authorizing  an  inquiry  into  the  origin   of  the  late  fire  by 
which  the  National  Library  was  destroyed. 

Resolved,  That  the  Joint  Committee  on  Public  Buildings  and 
Grounds  be  instructed  to  inquire  into  the  origin  of  the  fire  by  which 
the  National  Library  was  consumed  on  the  twenty-fourth  instant,  and 
whether  the  same  occurred  from  the  negligence  of  any  officer  of  Govern- 
ment, or  person  in  the  employment  of  either  or  both  Hou.ses  of  Congress, 
or  from  the  defective  con.struction  of  furnaces  or  flues,  or  was  the  act  of 
an  incendiary,  and  also  the  extent  of  injury  to  the  building  and  the  best 
mode  of  reconstructing  the  Library  room  so  as  to  afford  perfect  security 

'  Congressional  Globe  26:  153. 


QUESTION   OF   FIREPROOF   ROOM.  279 

in  the  future  against  the  like  disaster  and  report  the  facts  to  the  House. 
The  said  committee  shall  have  the  power  to  send  for  and  examine,  on 
oath,  such  persons  as  may  have  information  touching  the  premises. 

This  resolution  being  under  consideration  it  was  suggested 
that  the  librar}^  should  be  denominated  the  Librar}^  of  Con- 
gress, not  the  National  Library.  The  resolution  was  altered 
accordingly.  Mr.  Stanton,  of  Tennessee,  suggested  that  the 
inquir}^  ought  to  extend  to  the  means  of  making  the  v/hole 
Capitol  fireproof.  Objection  was  made  to  this,  and  the  reso- 
lution was  read  the  third  time  and  passed. 

On  the  same  day  the  question  of  the  expenses  occasioned 
by  the  fire  was  brought  up  b}^  Mr.  Stanton,  of  Kentucky. 
He  had  received  a  communication  from  the  Commissioner  of 
Public  Buildings  stating  that  great  expense  had  been  incurred 
in  extinguishing  the  fire,  and  that  an  appropriation  was 
needed  to  meet  this  expense,  as  well  as  for  the  purpose  of 
putting  the  building  in  a  condition  to  be  secure  from  the 
action  of  the  weather.  He  therefore  asked  the  consent  of 
the  House  to  introduce  a  bill:' 

AN  ACT  making  appropriation  to  meet  the  expenses  incurred  in   consequence  of 

the  late  fire  at  the  Capitol. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  a7id  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled.  That  the  sum  of  five  thousand 
dollars  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby,  appropriated  out  of  any  money  in 
the  Treasury  not  otherwise  appropriated,  to  be  expended,  or  so  much 
thereof  as  may  be  necessary,  under  the  direction  of  the  Commissioner  of 
Public  Buildings,  in  discharge  of  the  expenses  incurred  in  the  extinguish- 
ment of  the  late  fire  in  the  lyibrary  room,  the  removal  of  the  rubbish, 
and  the  preservation  of  such  books  and  other  articles  as  ma}'  have  been 
saved,  and  the  construction  of  a  tin  roof  for  the  preservation  and  pro- 
tection of  the  portion  of  the  building  now  exposed. 

The  communication  from  the  Commissioner  of  Public 
Buildings  was  then  called  for  and  it  was  read,  as  follows: 

Office  of  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings. 

Washington,  D.  C,  Dece?nber  26,  18^1. 
Honorable  Richard  H.  Stanton, 

Chairman  Committee  on  Public  Bnildings  and  Grounds. 

Sir:  The  late  destruction  of  the  Hall  of  the  United  States  Librar}^  by 
fire  has  left  a  mass  of  burning  books  and  papers,  which  I  am  now  having 
removed.     I  am  also  constructing  a  temporary  roof  (covered  with  tin) 

'  Congressional  Globe  26:  153,  154. 


28o  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

over  the  exposed  arches  which  cover  the  rooms  immediately  east  of  the 
Library,  which  I  hope  to  finish  this  week. 

To  enable  me  to  pay  the  cost  of  these  works,  and  also  the  buckets, 
axes,  etc.,  purchased  during  the  fire,  and  wages  of  men  employed  to 
guard  the  premises  and  prevent  further  extension  of  fire  to  other  parts 
of  the  Capitol,  I  very  respectfully  pray  your  committee  to  ask  for  an 
appropriation  of  five  thousand  dollars,  which  I  hope  will  be  sufl5cient  for 
these  purposes. 

I  am,  with  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

William  Kasby, 
Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings.'^ 

The  bill  was  accordingly  passed. 

On  the  27th  of  December,  the  following  correspondence 
regarding  the  cause  of  the  fire  passed  between  William  Basby, 
Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings,  and  Thomas  U.  Walter, 
Architect  of  the  Capitol: 

Office  of  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings, 

Washijigton,  D.  C,  December  2y,  1831. 
Thomas  U.  Walter,  Esq., 

Architect  of  the  Capitol. 
Sir:  I  am  instructed  by  the  Honorable  Secretary  of  the  Interior  "to 
make  a  thorough  investigation  of  the  causes  which  led  to  the  destruction 
of  the  Congressional  Library,  and  injury  to  the  Capitol  by  fire  on  the 
morning  of  the  24th  instant,"  and  to  "make  a  report  to  him  on  the 
subject  with  as  little  delay  as  practicable." 

In  view  of  these  instructions,  I  would  thank  you  to  make  an  immediate 
examination  of  the  premises  and  report  to  me,  in  writing,  your  opinion 
as  to  the  cause  of  the  fire. 

I  am,  sir,  with  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

William  Easby, 
Comm-issioner  of  Public  Biiildi7igs. 

Architect's  Office,  United  States  Capitol, 

Washington,  D.  C,  December  26,  18^1. 
William  Easby,  Esq., 

Commissioner  of  Public  Btcildiyigs. 
Sir:  In  compliance  with  the  request  contained  in  your  letter  of  this 
morning,  I  have  examined  the  Capitol  with  reference  to  the  origin  of 
the  fire  which  took  place  in  the  Library  of  Congress  on  the  morning  of 
the  24th  instant,  and  find  that  it  was  caused  by  the  timbers  which 
formed  the  alcoves  of  the  Library  having  ])een  inserted  in  the  chimney 
flues. 

'  Cotigressional  (.'lohc,  .>(>:   154. 


QUESTION   OF   FIREPROOF   ROOM.  281 

On  examiuiug  the  holes  in  the  brick  wall  which  have  oeen  exposed 
by  the  removal  of  the  burnt  timbers,  I  found  an  opening  of  about  two 
inches  by  the  thickness  of  a  brick  into  one  of  the  flues,  near  where  the 
fire  was  discovered.  The  chimneys  from  the  lower  rooms  were  then 
examined,  and  it  was  found  that  the  flue  from  the  room  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  the  Senate  on  Indian  Affairs  had  been  recently  burnt  out.  A 
chimne}'  sweep  was  sent  up  this  flue,  and  found  the  opening  into  the 
lyibrary  alluded  to.  His  voice  was  heard  at  the  aperture  in  the  chimney, 
and  he  brought  down  with  him  a  portion  of  the  burnt  timber  that  had 
protruded  into  the  flue. 

Large  wood  fires  are  made  in  the  committee  rooms  very  early  every 
morning,  and  the  rooms  shut  up  until  they  are  occupied  by  the  com- 
mittees. This  chimney  must  have  taken  fire  while  the  room  was  thus 
closed  and  burnt  out  without  being  observed,  as  might  easily  be  the  case 
with  any  of  the  chimneys  in  the  building. 

After  a  careful  examination  of  the  subject,  I  am  of  opinion  that  the 
fate  of  the  Library  depended  on  this  chimnej'.  If  it  had  taken  fire  years 
ago  the  result  would  have  been  the  same.  The  timbers  were  too  far 
above  the  fireplace  to  be  set  on  fire  in  any  other  way  than  by  the  burning 
of  the  chimney,  and  such  an  event  could  not  have  occurred  at  any  time 
without  communicating  fire  to  the  Library. 

The  alcoves  of  the  Library  were  formed  of  timbers  filled  in  with 
"brick-nogging."  The  horizontal  pieces  were  let  into  the  walls  for  the 
purpose  of  strengthening  the  structure,  thus  affording  the  means  of 
communicating  the  fire  to  the  vertical  scantling,  one  of  which  was  placed 
against  the  wall  in  each  partition. 

The  evidences  of  the  fire  having  occurred  in  this  way  are  too  conclu- 
sive to  admit  of  a  doubt,  and  are  sufficient  to  remove  all  censure  from 
those  who  have  charge  of  the  building;  no  human  forethought  or  vigi- 
lance could,  under  the  circumstances,  have  prevented  the  catastrophe. 
I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  ser\'ant, 

Tho.  U.  Walter, 
Architect  of  U.  S.  Capitols 

This  correspondence  did  not  satisf}-  all.  A  correspondent 
of  the  Republic  said: 

Mr.  Editor:  That  the  statement  of  the  "Architect,"  Thomas  U. 
Walter,  as  to  the  cause  of  the  fire  which  resulted  in  the  destruction  of 
the  Congressional  Library  is  erroneous,  and  calculated  to  expose  that 
portion  of  the  building  to  another  destruction  in  the  same  manner,  if  an 
entire  change  is  not  made  in  the  mode  of  heating  it,  will  be  evident  to 
anyone  who  will  take  a  moment  to  reflect  upon  its  unsound  reasoning. 
The  "Architect"  laj's  down  the  postulate  that  the  fire  commenced  in 

^Washington  Republic,  DeceTuber  27,  1.S51. 


282  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

the  flue  of  a  chimney  leading  from  one  of  the  committee  rooms,  which, 
he  says,  ignited  a  piece  of  timber  inserted  in  said  chimney  to  support 
one  of  the  alcoves  of  the  Library,  and  states  that  a  chimney  sweep  was 
sent  up  said  flue,  when  his  voice  was  heard  at  the  opening,  and  he 
brought  down  with  him  a  piece  of  the  charred  timber  which  still 
remained  in  the  aperture.  Now,  if  the  fire  had  taken  from  the  flue,  as 
stated,  there  would  not,  and  could  not,  have  remained  any  timber  in  the 
wall  of  the  chimney,  for  it  must  have  been  all  consumed  before  the  fire 
made  its  appearance  in  the  Library.  The  fact  that  the  piece  of  charred 
timber  was  found  there  is  conclusive  proof  that  the  fire  originated  in 
some  other  place  than  that  designated,  and  the  water  discharged  from 
the  engines  extinguished  the  same  on  the  outside  and  not  on  the  inside 
of  the  chimney.  Scientific  gentlemen  will  have  to  look  elsewhere  for 
the  cause  of  that  fire,  and  they  will,  no  doubt,  find  it  in  the  superficial 
construction  of  the  flues  designed  to  heat  the  building  b)^  hot-air  fur- 
naces. I  ask  you  to  give  this  hint  a  place  in  your  paper,  that  those 
who  may  be  charged  with  the  duty  of  rebuilding  the  Library  may  be 
on  their  guard  to  prevent  a  like  disastrous  occurrence  hereafter.' 

A  correspondent  of  the  Union''  (December  30,  185 1),  on  tlie 
other  hand,  was  not  satisfied  that  there  should  be  a  change 
in  the  heating  apparatus  only;  everything  that  was  neces- 
sary to  make  the  Library  fireproof  should  be  done.     He  said: 

It  has  generally  been  our  lot  to  find  the  voice  of  the  well-instructed 
Librarian  totally  disregarded  when  raised  in  opposition  to  the  ambition 
of  architects,  the  conceits  of  corporations,  or  the  cupidity  of  competing 
contractors. 

An  Italian  architect,  a  man  of  genius,  has  said,  "II  primo  e  piu  abile 
architetto  e  il  padrone  della  casa" — the  first  and  ablest  architect  is  the 
master  of  the  house.  The  Librarian  knows,  or  ought  to  know,  what  is 
wanted  for  the  safety  and  convenience  of  his  charge.  He  is  the  master 
of  that  house. 

It  should  be  known  that  within  the  last  twenty-five  years  everything 
relating  to  the  construction  of  edifices  for  libraries,  their  arrangement 
and  conveniences,  the  means  of  their  preserv^atiou  from  fire,  from  damp- 
ness, from  insects,  and  from  depredations  and  injuries,  has  been  studied 
most  laboriously  and  thoroughl)'  in  England,  in  France,  in  Germany, 
and  in  Italy.  The  management  of  libraries  has  been  reduced  to  settled 
principles,  and  been  dignified  in  Germany  by  the  name  of  a  .science. 
Magazines  are  devoted  exclusively  to  the  subject,  and  some  of  the  most 
organizing  and  ingenious  minds  in  the  world  have  been  working  out  its 
problems  and  arranging  its  apparently  incongruous  details.     If  we  wish 

^  Washing iott  Republic,  January  6,  1852.     Note,  also,  Huniress,  January  3,  1852. 
'Probably  Professor  Jewett. 


QUESTION   OF   FIREPROOF  ROOM.  283 

to  be  "a  la  hauteur  du  siecle,"  or  anywhere  near  the  present  age,  we 
can  not  neglect  the  lessons  of  their  experience  and  their  labors.  Yet 
who  has  read,  for  the  benefit  of  the  public  archives  and  the  National 
Library  of  America,  the  Reports  and  minutes  of  evidence  of  the  Par- 
liamentary commissions  upon  the  British  Museum  and  upon  public 
libraries?  They  are  in  six  large  folio  volumes.  Who  has  read  the 
books  and  pamphlets  recently  published  respecting  the  national  library 
of  Paris?  Who  has  read  for  this  purpose  the  memoirs  of  the  lamented 
Dellessert  or  the  works  of  Laborde,  Delia  Santa,  Molbech,  Schrettinger, 
Namur,  Hesse,  Reiffenberg,  Peignot,  and  many  others,  and  the  journals 
conducted  by  Dr.  Naumann  and  Dr.  Petzholdt  ?  Without  studying  these 
one  can  not  feel  confident  that  he  is  moving  in  the  light  of  modern 
knowledge  upon  such  matters.     *     *     * 

Some  of  the  most  important  conditions  of  security  of  libraries  against 
fire,  some  especially  of  those  most  neglected: 

1 .  Isolatio7i  is  an  important  means  of  safety.  The  proximity  of  dwell- 
ing houses  or  buildings  requiring  only  ordinary  care  should,  if  possible, 
be  avoided.  A  library  should  on  other  accounts  be  by  itself,  subject 
solely  to  laws  framed  for  its  own  welfare.  When,  however,  it  must  be 
kept  in  one  portion  of  a  building  the  other  apartments  of  which  are 
occupied  for  other  purposes,  it  should  be  completely  separated  from  them 
by  thick  walls  of  stone  or  of  brick  and  by  double  iron  doors  at  least  a 
foot  from  each  other.  The  windows  should  also  be  guarded  by  sliding 
iron  shutters,  if  they  would  be  exposed  to  flames  from  other  buildings 
or  to  incendiary  projectiles.  The  roof  should  not  only  be  fireproof  on 
the  outside,  but  it  should  be  protected  from  fires  within,  either  by  being 
built  wholly  of  incombustible  materials  or  covered  by  such  above  and 
shielded  by  such  below.  What  chance  would  there  be  for  saving  any 
part  of  a  library  when  the  flames  were  spreading  along  its  roof? 

2.  Insulation  of  alcoves  a7id  shelves. — Each  alcove  or  range  of  shelves 
should  be  so  constructed  that  the  books  in  one  alcove  or  case  might  be 
completely  burnt  out  without  communicating  fire  to  the  next.  To  this 
end  there  should  be  thick  walls  of  brick  or  iron  between  the  alcoves. 
The  floor  should  be  incombustible.  Wooden  galleries  and  roofs  should 
be  entirely  prohibited.  Pictures,  maps,  and  v/ooden  ladders  should 
never  be  extended  from  one  bookcase  to  another. 

3.  The  use  of  iron  for  bookcases,  shelves,  stairs,  galleries,  and  furni- 
ture. To  prevent  injurj^  to  books  from  the  deposition  of  moisture,  and 
from  friction  upon  rough  surfaces,  all  parts  that  come  in  contact  with 
the  books  should  be  covered  with  woolen  cloth,  or  (particularly  in  warm 
climates)  with  leather,  which  is  less  liable  to  invite  or  harbor  insects. 

4.  The  heating  apparatus  should  receive  special  attention.  Warming 
by  hot-air  furnaces  is  alwaj-s  unsafe  for  such  an  establishment.  The 
accidents  which  have  recentl}'  occurred,  where  the  idea  of  danger  would 


284  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

have  been  ridiculed,  should  be  carefully  considered.  In  many  imagi- 
nable ways  a  furnace  may  be  dangerous  when  pronounced  entirely  safe. 
Suppose  one:  A  lucifer  match  is  accidentally  dropped;  it  falls  upon  a 
newspaper  lying  upon  a  chair  near  the  furnace  flue;  the  stream  of  hot 
air  ignites  the  match,  which  kindles  the  paper,  and  thus  the  destroying 
element  is  quickly  spread.  One  source  of  danger  from  hot-air  furnaces, 
which  is  seldom  thought  of,  is  the  facility  offered  by  the  flues  for  con- 
ducting flames  from  one  part  of  a  building  to  another.  Fires  have  thus 
spread  with  almost  inconceivable  rapidity.  The  best  mode  of  heating 
libraries  is  doubtless  by  warm  water  or  by  steam. 

5.  Precautions  as  to  lamps. — A  large  public  library  should  never  be 
lighted  b}^  means  of  movable  lamps.  If  studies  must  be  pursued  in  the 
evening,  let  there  be,  if  possible,  a  separate  room  to  which  the  books 
required  during  the  evening  may  be  carried  before  dark.  There  can  be 
no  certainty  of  safety  if  lamps  are  permitted  at  all.  At  the  British 
Museum  a  candle  is  not  allowed  even  for  the  sealing  of  a  letter.  We 
have  been  there  when  London  darkness  has  settled  down  upon  the  estab- 
lishment at  noonday.  As  it  came  on,  visitors,  unable  to  read,  one  by 
one  withdrew.  The  librarians,  unable  to  pursue  their  work,  and  for- 
bidden either  to  leave  the  building  or  to  light  a  lamp  to  aid  them,  were 
fain  to  sit  down  in  groups  to  hours  of  conversation  in  the  dark.  The 
precautions  in  this  case  were  not  adopted  without  due  consideration  or 
much  discussion.  Whenever  it  is  considered  indispensable  to  light  a 
library  it  should  be  done  by  fixed  lamps  or  gas  burners  so  far  removed 
from  all  books  and  papers  as  to  be  as  safe  as  possible.  The  lighting  and 
extinguishing  of  them  should  be  intrusted  to  one  responsible  person. 
Movable  lamps  and  matches  should  be  positively  and  rigorously  pro- 
hibited. 

In  the  Senate  on  the  29th  of  December  the  resolution 
authorizing  an  inquiry  into  the  origin  of  the  fire  was  dis- 
cussed. Mr.  Badger  observed:  "It  seems  to  me  to  be  a  very 
great  outrage  that  we  should  pass  a  resolution  to  inquire  into 
a  fire  in  our  building  in  such  a  form  that  it  can  not  go  into 
effect  without  the  signature  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States.  The  resolution  ought  to  be  amended.  It  should  not 
pass  in  its  present  form.  I  move  to  lay  it  on  the  table  for 
the  present."     The  motion  was  agreed  to. 

Mr.  Cass  submitted  resolutions  of  a  like  tenor  for  consid- 
eration: 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed,  jointly  with  such  committee 
as  may  be  appointed  on  the  part  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  to 
inquire  into  and  report  the  cause  of  the  recent  fire  in  the  Capitol;  and 
also  what  measures  it  is  proper  to  take  to  prevent  the  occurrence  of  a 


TEMPORARY   RELIEF   MEASURES.  285 

similar  accident  hereafter.  And  the  said  committee  be  also  instructed 
to  examine  the  proposed  mode  of  construction  of  the  addition  to  the 
Capitol,  and  ascertain  whether  it  is  intended  to  render  the  vSame  fire- 
proof, and,  if  not,  what  should  be  done  to  secure  it,  as  far  as  possible, 
from  the  danger  of  fire. 

Resolved,  That  the  Committee  on  the  Library  be  instructed  to  examine 
and  report  what  measures  should  be  taken  immediately  to  procure  such 
books  as  may  be  most  indispensable;  and  what  plan  it  is  best  to  adopt 
to  procure  a  library  which,  in  its  extent  and  in  the  character  of  the 
works,  shall  be  sufficiently  useful  and  honorable  to  the  country. 

These,  too,  like  the  House  resolutions,  were  without  legis- 
lative result. 

An  amendment  to  the  bill  making  an  appropriation  to 
meet  the  expense  incurred  in  consequence  of  the  fire  was 
introduced  by  Senator  Cass.     It  was  as  follows: 

And  be  itfjirther  enacted,  That   the  sum  of dollars  be,  and  the 

same  is  hereby,  appropriated  for  the  purchase  of  books  for  the  lyibrary  of 
Congress,  to  be  expended  under  the  direction  of  the  Joint  Committee  on 
the  Library.' 

On  motion  of  Senator  Badger  the  bill  and  amendment  were 
referred  to  the  Committee  on  Finance.  This  committee,  on 
the  6th  of  January,  1852,  reported  them  back  by  Mr.  Hunter 
and  recommended  their  passage.  The  blank  in  the  amend- 
ment was  accordingly  filled  with  $10,000,  and  the  bill  passed 
as  amended. 

On  the  same  day,  January  6,  1852,  Mr.  Hunter  submitted 
the  following  resolution: 

Resolved,  That  the  Committee  on  Public  Buildings  be  instructed  to 

inquire  into  the  expediency  of  appropriating  a  sum  not  exceeding 

dollars,  to  fit  up  the  document  room  near  the  Library  and  a  part  of  the 
adjoining  passage,  for  the  temporary  reception  of  the  books  of  the  Con- 
gressional Library.^ 

On  the  9th  of  January  the  blank  was  filled  with  $1,200, 
and  the  resolution  passed. 

On  the  1 2th  of  January  the  Senate  amendment  to  the 
House  bill,  making  an  appropriation  to  meet  the  expense 
incurred  in  consequence  of  the  fire,  was  taken  up  in  the 
House. 

^Congressional  Globe,  December  29,  1851. 
^Congressional  Globe,  January  6,  1852. 


286  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

Mr.  Clingman  urged  its  passage.  With  the  sum  of  $10,000 
appropriated  by  the  bill  and  the  standing  appropriation  of 
$5,000,  the  Library  Committee  would  be  able  to  get  those 
books  which  Congress  most  needed.  The  books  could  be 
procured  in  the  course  of  two  or  three  weeks  in  the  principal 
cities.  In  the  meantime  by  passing  the  second  bill  which 
had  come  from  the  Senate,  making  an  appropriation  of  $1,200 
to  fit  up  rooms,  temporary  quarters  for  the  books  purchased 
would  be  provided.     So  the  amendment  was  concurred  in. 

AN  ACT  making  appropriation  to  meet  the  expenses  incurred  in  consequence  of 
the  late  lire  at  the  Capitol. 

Be  it  enacted,  &c.,  That  the  sum  of  five  thousand  dollars  be,  and  the 
same  is  hereby,  appropriated  out  of  any  money  in  the  Treasury  not 
otherwise  appropriated,  to  be  expended,  or  so  much  thereof  as  may  be 
necessary,  under  the  direction  of  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings, 
in  discharge  of  the  expenses  incurred  in  the  extinguishment  of  the  late 
fire  in  the  Library  room,  the  removal  of  the  rubbish,  and  the  preservation 
of  such  books  and  other  articles  as  may  have  been  saved,  and  the  con- 
struction of  a  tin  roof  for  the  preservation  and  protection  of  that  portion 
of  the  building  now  exposed. 

Sec  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  sum  of  ten  thousand  dol- 
lars be  and  the  same  is  hereby  appropriated  for  the  purchase  of  books 
for  the  Library  of  Congress,  to  be  expended  under  the  direction  of  the 
Joint  Committee  on  the  Library. 

Approved,  January  13,  1852. 

On  the  same  day,  January  13,  Mr.  Stanton,  of  Kentucky, 
observed,  respecting  the  second  bill  which  had  passed  the 
Senate  relating  to  the  Librar}^ — the  bill  providing  rooms  for 
the  temporary  accommodation  of  the  Library:  "I  am  author- 
ized by  the  Committee  on  the  Public  Buildings  to  state  that 
there  is  a  bill  from  the  Senate  now  lying  upon  the  Speaker's 
table  appropriating  the  sum  of  $1,200  for  the  purpose  of 
fitting  up  two  rooms  to  be  occupied  as  a  Librar}^,  and  for  con- 
taining the  books  which  shall  be  purchased  with  the  money 
which  was  appropriated  for  that  purpose  by  a  bill  passed 
yesterday.  The  Committee  on  Public  Buildings  are  desirous 
that  the  bill  should  be  passed  immediately,  and  I  am  author- 
ized by  them  to  ask  the  unanimous  consent  of  the  House 
that  it  may  be  taken  up  and  acted  upon  now." 

Objection,    however,    being   made   by    Mr.    Dunham,   the 


TEMPORARY   RELIEF   MEASURES.  287 

House  proceeded  with  the  regular  order  of  business.     But 
on  the  15th  of  Januar}^  the  bill  was  passed, 

AN  ACT  to  provide  a  room  for  the  Congressional  Library. 

Be  it  enacted,  <2fc. ,  That  the  sum  of  twelve  hundred  dollars  be  hereby- 
appropriated,  to  be  expended  uuder  the  direction  of  the  Commissioner 
of  Public  Buildings,  for  the  purpose  of  fitting  up  the  document  room 
and  a  portion  of  the  adjoining  passage  to  receive  temporarily  a  portion 
of  the  books  of  the  Congressional  Library, 

Approved,  January  23,  1852. 

In  consequence  of  these  acts  of  January  13  and  23,  and  of 
the  activity  of  the  workmen  who  were  employed  in  remov- 
ing rubbish,  and  sorting  out  of  the  mass  of  books  those 
which  with  trimmed  margins  and  new  bindings  might  be 
suitable  for  placing  in  the  new  collection/  the  Library, 
though  greatly  crippled,  was  soon  in  running  order  again 
in  the  rooms  appropriated  for  the  purpose  adjoining  the  old 
Library.  The  question  of  a  permanent  library  room  was, 
however,  still  unsolved. 

THE    NEW    LIBRARY    ROOM. 

In  1840  the  crowded  condition  of  the  old  Library  room  had 
been  relieved  b}^  the  creation  of  reference  libraries  in  the 
rooms  of  the  different  committees  of  the  two  Houses  of 
Congress.  In  1843  additional  rooms  for  the  collections  in 
American  history  and  law  had  been  secured  and  fitted  up,  but 
as  we  have  seen  none  of  these  measures  provided  adequately 
for  the  expansion  of  the  Library.  The  fire  of  December  24, 
185 1,  however,  made  an  answer  to  the  question  of  adequate 
accommodations  for  the  Library  imperative.  According^,  on 
the  27th  of  January,  1852,  the  chairman  of  the  Library  Com- 
mittee, Mr.  Pearce,  submitted  to  the  Senate  the  follo\ving  res- 
olution, which  was  considered  b}^  unanimous  consent  and 
agreed  to. 

Resolved,  That  the  Committee  on  Public  Buildings  be  instructed  to 
inquire  into  the  expediency  of  enlarging,  repairing,  and  refitting  the 
principal  apartment  heretofore  occupied  by  the  Library  of  Congress,  so 
that  it  may  be  entirely  fireproof  and  capable  of  further  extension  in  har- 
mony with  the  general  plan  of  the  Capitol,  upon  the  removal  of  theSen- 

'  Washington  Republic,  December  27,  30,  185 1. 


288  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

ate  and  House  of  Representatives  and  their  offices  to  the  wings  of  the 
Capitol. 

Accordingly,  on  the  4tli  of  February,  1852,  Mr.  Hunter, 
from  the  Committee  on  Public  Buildings,  made  the  following 
report  in  the  Senate: 

In  connection  with  this  subject  they  have  examined  the  report  of  the 
Architect,  Mr.  Walter,  to  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings,  upon 
the  subject  of  repairing  the  Library.  After  an  examination  of  the  plan 
proposed  in  this  report  and  the  drawings  which  accompany  it,  they  have 
concurred  in  the  recommendation  of  the  Architect  and  submit  his  report, 
which  is  hereto  annexed,  as  expressing  their  views.  But  being  well 
aware  that  experience  often  suggests  the  propriety  of  changes  in  the 
details  of  a  plan  during  the  process  of  construction,  they  deem  it  best  to 
leave  to  the  discretion  of  the  President  to  make  such  changes  in  the 
details  of  the  plan  as  may  be  consistent  with  the  general  arrangement 
and  yet  improve  the  appearance  and  usefulness  of  the  room.  In  view 
of  the  necessity  for  some  immediate  provision  to  meet  the  want  of  a 
Congressional  Library,  the  committee  have  deemed  it  advisable  to  repair 
at  once  the  former  library  room,  and  for  that  purpose  submit  the  accom- 
panying bill.  In  the  event  of  the  passage  of  this  bill  your  committee 
recommend  that  the  drawings  shall  be  deposited  with  the  Secretary  of 
the  Interior. 


Architect's  Office,  U.  S.  Capitol, 

Washington,  D.  C,  January  27,  18^2. 

Sir:  In  compliance  with  the  request  contained  in  your  letter  of  the 
27th  ultimo,  I  have  made  an  examination  of  the  Capitol,  in  reference 
to  the  extent  of  the  injury  done  to  the  building  by  the  burning  of  the 
Library  of  Congress,  and  the  best  means  of  repairing  the  damage.  I 
have  likewise  prepared  plans  for  reconstructing  the  Library,  which  are 
herewith  submitted. 

In  view  of  the  irreparable  loss  the  country  has  sustained  by  the 
destruction  of  the  old  Library,  I  have  considered  it  an  indispensable 
element  in  the  design  now  presented,  to  use  no  combustible  materials 
whatever  in  any  part  of  the  work;  the  alcoves,  cases,  galleries,  doors, 
window  shutters,  ceilings,  and  the  brackets  that  support  them  are  all 
designed  to  be  cast  iron;  the  shelves  for  the  books  of  thick  glass  or 
enameled  iron;  the  framing  of  the  roof  of  wrought  iron;  the  sheathing 
of  copper  and  the  floor  of  stone.  In  a  library  thus  constructed  fire 
will  be  out  of  the  question,  and  the  materials  of  which  it  is  formed  will 
not  be  subject  to  decay  nor  deterioration. 

By  the  plans  here  proposed  it  is  contemplated  to  enlarge  the  Library 
so  as  to  embrace  the  entire  western  projection;  this  will  give  a  room  of 


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DETAIL  OF  IRON  WORK  IX  LIBRARY. 


History  of  the  Library  of  Conjtrress,  vol.   i,   plate  19. 


RECONSTRUCTION   OF   LIBRARY   ROOM,  1 85 2.  289 

29  feet  6  inches  by  70  feet  2  inches  at  each  end  of  the  original  Library, 
extending  to  the  roof,  Hghted  by  skylights,  with  two  additional  apart- 
ments/ each  18  feet  6  inches  by  35  feet,  for  private  reading  rooms  for 
Senators  and  members  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  respectively, 
thus  making  a  suite  of  five  rooms,  embracing  an  extent  of  302  feet. 

It  will  not,  however,  be  possible  to  carry  out  the  entire  plan  until 
accommodations  are  provided  in  the  new  wings  for  the  officers  of  Con- 
gress and  committees  now  occupying  the  north  and  south  rooms  of  the 
western  projection.  I  therefore  propose  to  fit  up  the  old  Library  accord- 
ing to  the  plans,  without  changing  its  dimensions,  and  to  complete  the 
archway  intended  to  lead  into  the  end  rooms,  leaving  a  sufficient  thick- 
ness of  wall  remaining  to  separate  the  Library  and  the  said  rooms  until 
the  proper  time  arrives  for  carrying  out  the  entire  design. 

In  this  portion  of  the  plan,  which,  as  before  remarked,  constitutes  the 
reconstruction  of  the  old  Librar>%  there  will  be  two  stories  of  alcoves, 
the  second  story  receding  3  feet  from  the  front  of  those  below,  so  as  to 
admit  of  forming  a  gallery  on  top  with  but  little  projection.  The  same 
arrangement  will  be  repeated  on  the  top  of  the  second-story  alcoves,  so 
as  to  form  a  galler^^  to  the  third  story,  which  will  consist  of  cases  against 
the  wall,  with  divisions  and  ornamental  pilasters  corresponding  to  the 
openings  below.  The  galleries  will  all  be  protected  by  continuous  rail- 
ings of  iron.  The  floors  of  the  galleries  will  consist  of  cast-iron  plates, 
and  the  approach  to  them  will  be  by  means  of  two  semicircular  stair- 
ways formed  of  iron  and  recessed  in  the  end  walls. 

Each  of  the  lower  alcoves  will  be  inclosed  by  ornamental  iron  gates. 

The  ceiling  wall  be  composed  of  thin  iron  plates,  cast  with  deep- 
sunken  panels,  filled  in  with  enriched  moldings  and  center  ornaments. 

The  room  will  be  lighted,  in  addition  to  the  5  windows  in  the  west 
front,  by  8  skylights,  each  6  feet  square  in  the  clear,  making  288  square 
feet  of  glass.  Each  skylight  will  be  filled  in  with  ornamented  glass, 
forming  part  of  the  design  of  the  ceiling,  and  protected  on  top  by  thick 
plates  of  glass  placed  on  the  line  of  the  roof. 

The  floor  will  be  composed  of  marble  tiles,  the  walls  plastered,  and 
the  interior  painted  in  colors  appropriate  to  the  materials  of  which  it  is 
composed. 

I  propose  to  warm  this  portion  of  the  building  by  means  of  hot-water 
pipes  inclosed  in  chambers  erected  in  the  present  furnace  rooms  in  the 
cellars  and  connected  with  boilers  for  heating  the  water;  the  external 
air  to  be  admitted  into  these  chambers,  where  it  will  be  warmed  and 
conducted  by  flues  to  the  Librar>'  and  such  of  the  adjacent  rooms  as  are 
heated  by  the  present  furnaces.  The  quality  of  the  heat  thus  produced 
is  not  only  unobjectionable,  as  regards  health  and  comfort,  but  it  is 
peculiarly  adapted  to  the  warming  of  libraries,  as  it  retains  its  original 

'  One  of  these  rooms  was  then  occupied  by  the  Library  as  temporary  quarters. 
23399— <'4 19 


290  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

moisture  and  is  not  injurious  to  the  binding  of  the  books,  besides  being 
free  from  dust  and  other  impurities. 

The  room  will  be  ventilated  by  means  of  apertures  in  the  ceiling, 
opening  into  the  space  between  the  ceiling  and  the  roof,  from  which  the 
foul  air  will  be  extracted  by  means  of  an  air  shaft,  in  which  a  vacuum 
will  be  produced  by  artificial  heat. 

The  execution  of  the  entire  plan  here  proposed  will  in  no  way 
impair  the  stability  of  the  structure,  but  rather  promote  it;  none  of  the 
main  walls  will  be  disturbed,  the  removal  of  the  arches  over  the  rooms 
will  relieve  the  outer  walls  of  horizontal  pressure,  and  the  aggregate 
weight  of  the  superstructure  will  be  reduced;  all  of  which  are  important 
considerations  when  it  is  remembered  that  the  western  projection  has 
always  had  a  tendency  to  settle  off  from  the  rest  of  the  building,  which 
is  shown  by  the  cracks  in  the  angles  on  the  outside. 

The  injury  to  the  building  produced  by  the  fire  is  almost  exclusively 
confined  to  the  Library.  The  floor  being  composed  of  bricks  laid  on 
the  arches  of  the  rooms  below,  and  the  surrounding  walls  being  of  great 
thickness,  extending  above  the  roof  in  the  form  of  parapets,  the  firemen 
were  enabled  to  keep  the  fire  under  control  and  prevent  it  from  commu- 
nicating to  other  parts  of  the  building.  The  walls  are,  however,  so 
much  injured  as  to  make  it  necessary  to  take  down  and  rebuild  the 
upper  portion  of  them,  including  the  entire  parapets,  and  to  repair  them 
generally  throughout. 

The  western  front  has  sustained  so  much  injury  around  the  windows 
as  to  make  it  necessary  to  take  out  the  stonework  betw^een  the  pilasters 
as  high  as  the  bottom  of  the  upper  panels  and  substitute  it  with  new 
material;  the  panels  and  sculpture  appear  to  be  uninjured,  and  as  far  as 
I  can  now  judge  they  may  remain. 

The  inner  portions  of  the  columns  have  suffered  very  seriously.  The 
injured  parts  may,  however,  be  cut  out  and  replaced  by  new  stone  with- 
out removing  them,  as  the  repairing  will  be  obscured  by  repainting  them. 

I  would  further  suggest  in  connection  with  these  improvements  the 
removal  of  the  stairway  leading  into  the  attic  in  front  of  the  main  door 
of  the  Library.  This  stairway  is  of  but  little  use,  as  both  ends  of  the 
building  have  other  convenient  approaches.  I  therefore  propose  its 
removal,  with  all  the  columns  and  archways  connected  with  it.  The 
stairway  by  which  the  Rotunda  will  be  approached  will  then  be  better 
lighted,  the  approach  to  the  Library  will  be  free  and  light,  and  the 
Library  door  will  be  in  full  view  from  the  Rotunda.  This  door  may  be 
richly  embellished  with  the  columns  and  entablature  which  now  support 
the  stairs  in  question,  and  a  rich  marble  balustrade  may  be  placed  around 
the  stairways  leading  from  below,  which  will  form  a  tasteful  and  con- 
venient improvement.  This  colonnade,  with  the  low  arches  leading  to 
the  Library,  are  the  most  objectionable  features  of  the  biiilding,  besides 
interfering  with  the  passage  of  light  to  the  stairway  most  used  by  the 


RECONSTRUCTION   OF   LIBRARY   ROOM,  1 852.  29 1 

members,  and  also  to  the  approach  to  the  L,ibrary.     I  can  therefore  see 
no  reason  why  they  should  not  be  removed. 

I  have  estimated  the  cost  of  carrying  out  that  portion  of  the  plan  now 
proposed,  embracing  the  space  heretofore  occupied  by  the  Library, 
together  with  all  the  aforementioned  repairs  and  alterations,  the  whole 
of  which  are  to  be  executed  of  incombustible  materials,  as  hereinbefore 
stated,  and  find  that  it  will  amount  to  $72,500. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

Tho.  U.  Walter, 
Architect  United  States  Capitol. 
William  Easby,  Esq., 

Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings.  "^ 

On  the  yth  this  report  and  the  accompanying  bill  were 
taken  up  for  consideration  as  in  Committee  of  the  Whole. 
On  the  9th  of  February  the  bill  was  passed. 

In  the  House,  February  12,  Mr.  Chandler  called  the  atten- 
tion of  the  House  to  the  bill.  It  was  absolutely  necessary, 
he  said,  that  the  Committee  should  receive  immediate  author- 
ity to  issue  their  proposals.  But  Mr.  Orr  insisted  on  the 
regular  order  of  business.  Mr.  Chandler  then  moved  that 
it  be  made  the  special  order  for  the  following  Monday.  To 
this  Mr.  Stephens,  of  Georgia,  objected.  He  was  opposed  to 
all  special  orders. 

On  the  loth  of  March,  however,  Mr.  Clingman  brought 
the  bill  before  the  House,  with  the  following  remarks: 

We  ought  certainly  to  make  an  appropriation  for  the  Library.  We 
all  feel  the  want  of  it,  and  we  had  better  make  an  appropriation  at  once, 
and  let  the  men  go  to  work.  We  ought  also  to  appropriate  the  neces- 
sary money  to  continue  the  work  on  the  extension  of  the  Capitol,  if 
that  work  is  to  go  on.  Why  not  let  it  progress,  and  thus  provide 
employment  for  the  laborers  who  have  been  induced  to  come  here  under 
an  implied  assurance  of  continuous  employment? 

And  so  the  bill  was  passed. 

AN  ACT   to   provide    for   the    repair  of    the   Congressional   Library  room   lately 

destroyed  by  fire. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  sum  of  seventy-two 
thousand  five  hundred  dollars  be,  and  the  same  is  hereby  appropriated 
to  the  repair  of  the  Congressional  Library  room,  which  was  lately 
destroyed  by  fire,   according  to  the  plan  described  in  the  report  and 

'Thirty-second  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  report  No.  63.  Republic,  Febru- 
ary 2,  1852. 


292  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

drawings  which  were  submitted  by  the  Architect  to  the  Secretary  of 
the  Interior,  and  approved  by  the  Committee  on  Public  Buildings  of  the 
Senate:  Provided,  however,  That  the  work  shall  be  executed  under  the 
direction  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  and  be  subject  to  such  modi- 
fication of  the  details  as  may  be  consistent  with  the  general  arrange- 
ments of  the  plan,  and  necessary  and  proper  in  the  opinion  of  the 
President  of  the  United  States. 
Approved,  March  19,  1852.' 

The  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  Alexander  H.  H.  Stuart, 
appointed  Thomas  U.  Walter  architect  of  the  new  Library- 
room  March  30,  1852:  "Sir:  You  are  charged  with  the 
superintendence  of  the  repairs  of  the  Congressional  Library 
and  with  the  disbursement  of  the  funds  appropriated  for  that 
purpose,  and  3"ou  are  requested  to  proceed  with  the  work  as 
rapidly  as  practicable." 

This  letter  was  followed  by  a  second  dated  April  23,  1S52, 
signed  b}^  the  Assistant  Secretar}'-  of  the  Interior,  William  A. 
Graham:  "Sir:  By  direction  of  the  President  3^ou  are  hereby 
instructed  to  enter  into  bond,  in  the  penalt}^  of  $20,000,  for 
the  faithful  discharge  of  the  duties  under  the  appointment 
from  this  Department  as  disbursing  agent  and  superintendent 
of  the  work  to  be  executed  in  repairing  the  Congressional 
Library  room  in  the  United  States  Capitol."^ 

IMr.  John  Skirving  was  made  superintendent  of  the  con- 
struction of  the  new  Librar}^  room,  and  Janes,  Beebe  &  Co., 
of  New  York,  were  awarded  the  contract  for  its  construction. 
At  first  it  was  thought  that  the  room  might  be  completed  by 
the  ist  of  July.^  Then  it  was  hoped  that  it  might  be  com- 
pleted b}^  the  ist  of  December,  in  time  for  the  opening  of 
Congress.  By  September  the  workmen  were  coppering  the 
roof,  while  the  interior  fittings,  the  fluted  columns,  shelving, 
and  stairway  had  been  received  and  were  ready  to  be  put  in 
place."*     By  the  ist  of  November  much  of  the  ironwork  had 

'United  States  Statutes  at  Large,  10:  3. 

'Fifty-third  Congress,  second  session,  Senate  report  No.  178,  p.  6.  At  this  time 
Mr.  Walter  held  the  oflSce  of  Architect  of  the  Capitol  extension  and  received  a  salary 
of  54.500  per  annum.  Twenty  years  later  he  presented  a  claim  for  $7,410  for  services 
in  connection  with  the  construction  of  the  Library  room,  in  addition  to  other  claims 
amounting  to  $113,360.  A  report  upon  this  claim,  allowing  $14,000  in  payment  of 
the  entire  claim,  was  made  in  the  Senate  January  24,  1894,  and  in  the  House  April 
19,  1S94. 

'^  National  Intelligencer,  February  2,  1852. 

^Washington  Republic,  September  17,  1S52. 


RECONSTRUCTION   OF   LIBRARY   ROOM,  1 85 2.  293 

been  erected,  and  the  meclianics  were  working  until  a  late 
hour  at  night  trying  to  finish,'  but  before  the  end  of  the  month 
it  was  understood  that  the  work  would  require  at  least  three 
months  more.'  The  report  of  Thomas  U.  Walter,  Architect 
of  the  Public  Buildings,  to  Alexander  H.  H.  Stuart,  Secretary 
of  the  Interior,  December  i,  1852,  said:^ 

On  the  27th  of  January  last  I  submitted  designs  for  reconstructing  the 
main  lyibrary  room,  with  arrangements  for  future  extension,  which  were 
adopted,  and  on  the  19th  of  March  an  appropriation  of  $72,500  was 
made  to  carry  out  the  plans.  The  work  was  immediatel}^  commenced, 
and  ever>'  possible  exertion  has  been  made  to  complete  it  before  the 
assembling  of  Congress.  It  will,  however,  be  out  of  our  power  to  finish 
it  entirely  for  several  weeks  to  come,  notwithstanding  the  workmen 
have  been  constantly'  and  energetically  employed  night  and  day.  The 
entire  room  is  fitted  up  with  iron,  and  the  ceiling  is  composed  of  the 
same  material,  so  that  nothing  combustible  enters  in  any  way  into  its 
construction. 

The  damage  done  by  the  fire  to  the  western  front  has  been  all  repaired. 

The  hot- water  furnaces  for  warming  the  Library  and  the  adjacent 
rooms  are  completed  and  in  operation. 

The  appropriation  made  for  "the  repairs  of  the  Congressional  Library" 

by  the  act  of  Congress  approved  March  19,  1852,  amounted  to     .     .     .     $72,  500.  00 

Of  which  there  have  been  expended  to  the  present  date  ( December  i , 

1852) 51,703.24 

Leaving  an  unexpended  balance  of 20,  796.  76 

Before  the  end  of  December,  however,  it  was  apparent  that 
not  only  much  more  time  would  be  needed  in  which  to  finish 
the  room,  but  also  a  larger  appropriation.  Accordingl}-  IMr. 
Walter  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  as  follows:  '^ 

Architect's  Office,  U.  S.  Capitol, 

Washi7igton,  D.  C,  December  28,  18^2, 

Sir  :  I  find  that  there  will  be  a  deficiency  of  appropriation  for  ' '  the 
repairs  of  the  Congressional  Library"  of  $20,500,  which  has  occurred 
in  consequence  of  the  injuries  from  the  fire  being  greater  than  were  at 
first  supposed,  and  from  the  impossibility  of  estimating  accurately  the 
cost  of  so  novel  and  difficult  a  work,  as  well  as  from  a  more  expensive 
finish  having  been  decided  upon  than  was  at  first  contemplated. 

I  find  my  estimate  of  quantities  in  the  ironwork  (which  is  the  largest 
item  of  expense)  to  correspond  very  nearly  with  the  actual  amount  of 

'  Washington  Republic,  November  6,  1852. 

'lVashingto7i  Republic,  November  25,  1852;  copied  in  National  Intelligencer, 
November  28. 

3 Thirty-second  Congress,  second  session.  House  executive  document  No.  i,  p.  582. 
<  Thirty-second  Congress,  second  session.  House  executive  document  No.  18,  pp.  2-3. 


294  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

material  used;  but  it  was  impossible  to  say  with  certainty  what  the 
prices  would  be  until  the  bidders  for  the  work  had  submitted  their  pro- 
posals. In  order  to  show  the  uncertainty  of  the  cost  of  so  unusual  a 
work,  I  subjoin  a  list  of  the  aggregate  of  each  of  the  bids  founded  on 
the  quantities  ascertained  by  my  own  estimate,  which,  as  before  remarked, 
has  proved  to  be  substantially  correct: 

E.  Corning  &  Co. ,  of  Albany $87,  636 

Theo.  J.  Gillies,  of  New  York 85,  869 

J.  T.  Ames,  of  Massachusetts 77,  492 

R.  H.  Lathrop,  of  Albany 72,  968 

John  B.  King  &  Co.,  of  Albany 72,851 

Carnley,  King  &  Co. ,  of  New  York 72,  646 

Bogardus  &  Hoppen,  of  New  York 72,  518 

Janes,  Beebe  &  Co.,  of  New  York 59.872 

It  will  be  observed  that  all  the  bids  except  the  last  exceed  the  whole 
amount  of  the  appropriation,  viz,  $72,500,  and  the  difference  between 
the  highest  and  the  lowest  is  $27,764.  The  lowest  bid  was  accepted, 
and  I  have  the  satisfaction  to  say  that  the  work  has  been  executed  as 
well  and  as  faithfully  as  it  could  have  been  done  by  anyone. 

The  style  of  finish  I  propose  to  give  to  the  work  is  as  follows: 

All  the  plain  surfaces  of  the  ceiling,  both  horizontal  and  vertical,  to 
be  gilded  in  three  shades  of  gold  leaf,  so  disposed  as  to  give  depth  and 
effect  to  the  panels. 

All  the  ornamental  moldings,  pendants,  and  drops  of  the  ceiling  to  be 
finished  in  gold  bronze,  and  the  prominent  parts  to  be  tipped  with  gold, 
burnished,  so  as  to  produce  a  decided  and  sparkling  effect  against  the 
dead  gold  surfaces. 

The  large  consoles  to  be  painted  in  light  bronze  green,  tipped  with 
gold  bronze  and  burnished  gold,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  relief  to  the 
fruits  and  foliage. 

All  the  cases,  the  railings,  and  the  remaining  iron  work  to  be  finished 
with  light  gold  bronze,  tipped  on  all  the  parts  which  receive  the  strong- 
est light  with  burnished  gold. 

The  walls  to  be  frescoed  in  ornamental  panels,  corresponding  with  the 
rest  of  the  work. 

In  the  finish  of  this  room  I  desire  to  keep  up  the  idea  of  the  whole 
being  composed  of  metal,  which  could  not  be  done  if  other  than  metallic 
colors  were  used;  and  I  think  that  the  effect  of  the  finish  here  proposed 
will  be  perfectly  harmonious,  and  will  impart  to  the  room  a  brilliancy 
and  richness  consistent  with  its  architecture.  The  estimate  here  given 
is  founded  on  this  description  of  finish. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

Tho.  U.  Walter, 
Architect  of  ''Repairs  of  Coiigressional  Library." 

Hon.  Alex.  H.  H.  Stuart, 

Secretary  of  the  Interior. 


ENTRANCE  TO  CONGRESSIONAL  LIBRARY. 


History  of  thi.-  Library  of  Coiii^ress,  vol.   i,   plutc- 20. 


RECONSTRUCTION   OF   LIBRARY   ROOM,  1 85 2.  295 

Architect's  Office,  U.  S.  Capitol, 

Washi7igio7i,  D.  C,  December  28,  1852. 
Estimate  for  furnishing  "repairs  of  Congressional  Library,"  wrought-iron 

door,  with  lock  and  hanging,  in  north  end  of  room,  now  in  hands  .  .  .  ^100 
Main  entrance  door  of  Library,  with  architraves  inside  and  outside,  all  of 

iron 350 

Balance  due  on  roof 850 

Bill  for  priming  and  painting  all  the  ironwork  at  the  foundry,  and  after  it 

was  put  up 950 

Balance  due  on  cast-iron  work 6,  700 

Ornamental  iron  railing  around  all  the  galleries,  including  putting  up       .     .  2,  700 

Due  for  December  pay  roll  of  bricklayers  and  laborers 320 

Due  John  Skirving,  foreman,  wages 350 

Estimate  for  finishing  plastering 250 

Do.         cement  and  workmanship  of  floor 350 

Do.         gilding,  bronzii^g,  and  painting,  including  scaffolding  .     .     .     .  12,000 

Incidental  expenses,  say 935 

25.  S55 
Balance  of  appropriation  on  hand  this  day,  December  28,  1852 5,  355 

20,  500 

This  letter  was  forwarded  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior 
to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  by  him  to  the  House  of 
Representatives,  where  on  the  14th  of  January,  1853,  it  was 
referred  to  the  Committee  on  Ways  and  Means.  Nothing 
seems  to  have  been  done  by  this  committee,  but  in  the  course 
of  the  debate  on  the  deficiency  bill  January  25,  1853,  Mr. 
Stanton,  of  Kentucky,  under  instructions  from  the  Committee 
on  Public  Buildings,  offered  the  following  amendment  to  the 
clause  of  the  bill  providing  for  the  extension  of  the  Capitol: 

For  the  completion  of  the  repairs  of  the  Congressional  Ivibrary  room, 
authorized  by  an  act  approved  March  nineteen,  eighteen  hundred  and 
fifty-two,  twenty  thousand  five  hundred  dollars. 

Mr.  Stanton.  I  simply  desire  to  say,  in  reference  to  the  amendment 
which  I  have  offered,  that  it  has  been  recommended  by  the  Secretary  of 
the  Interior  upon  estimates  furnished  to  him  by  the  Architect.  The 
original  estimate  furnished  by  the  Architect  for  the  completion  of  the 
Library  room  was  $72,000.  That  sum,  or  nearly  that  amount,  has  been 
expended,  and  it  has  not  been  sufficient  to  complete  the  whole  structure. 
The  reason  why  it  is  necessary  to  have  an  additional  appropriation  is 
that  when  the  first  estimate  was  made  it  was  made  simply  to  supply  the 
ironwork,  which  has  cost,  indeed,  just  about  the  sum  estimated,  or  within 
a  few  thousand  dollars,  showing  that  as  far  as  the  estimate  went  it  was 
correct.  After  the  Architect  took  possession  of  the  room  he  found  that 
much  more  damage  had  been  done  by  the  fire  than  was  at  first  antici- 
pated.    He  had  to  cut  out  a  great  deal  of  the  stonework  and  tear  up  the 


296  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

foundation.  The  foundation  was  not  found  sufficiently  solid.  The 
floor,  instead  of  being  made  solid  from  the  top  of  the  arches  up  to  the 
pavement,  had  been  filled  in  with  sand,  rubbish,  loose  bricks,  etc.,  and 
was  by  no  means  compact.  It  was  necessary  for  him  to  dig  down  and 
remove  that  rubbish  in  order  to  secure  a  solid  foundation  for  the  iron- 
work, by  which  means  the  expense  has  been  greatly  increased  beyond 
the  first  estimate.     *     *     * 

Mr.  McMuLi^iN.  I  take  it  for  granted  that  the  committee  will  adopt 
the  amendment.  I  only  desire  to  say  that  this  Architect  has  not  proved, 
to  my  mind,  his  worthiness  of  the  station  he  now  occupies.  He  has 
made  a  very  wide  mistake — not  only  upon  this,  but  upon  former  occa- 
sions. I  hope  the  time  will  come  when  we  shall  have  more  accurate 
calculations  submitted  to  us. 

The  question  was  then  taken  on  the  amendment  offered 
by  Mr.  Stanton,  and  it  was  agreed  to.' 

On  the  15th  of  February  the  bill  was  brought  before  the 
Senate,  where  Mr.  Brodhead,  desiring  to  make  an  inquiry  of 
the  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Finance,  who  was  also  a 
member  of  the  Committee  on  Public  Buildings,  (Senator 
Hunter,  of  Virginia,)  moved  to  strike  out  the  clause  "For  the 
completion  of  the  repairs  of  the  Library  room  authorized  by 
the  act  approved  March  19,  1852,  $20,500,"  saying: 

At  the  last  session  we  appropriated  $75,000  for  this  purpose.  This 
appropriation  will  make  $95,500  for  fitting  up  and  repairing  one  room, 
I  know  nothing  against  the  integrity  of  the  Architect  who  has  this  work 
in  charge;  but  I  thought  when  the  $75,000  were  asked  for  that  it  was  a 
very  large  sum  to  require  to  fix  up  one  room  and  to  repair  it  for  the 
reception  of  books,  and  now,  when  $20,500  in  addition  is  asked  for,  I 
think  there  ought  to  be  some  explanation  of  it  given  to  the  Senate.  It 
may  be  proper  that  $95,500  should  be  appropriated  for  this  purpose,  but 
it  does  seem  to  me  to  be  a  very  large  amount. 

Mr.  Hunter.  It  is  true  that  the  expenditure  for  the  repair  of  the 
Library  room  is  likely  to  exceed  the  estimate  originally  made  by  the 
Architect.  We  all  know  that  that  room  was  destroyed  by  fire.  It  was 
impossible  to  ascertain  from  a  superficial  inspection  how  far  the  building 
had  been  injured.  In  taking  down  the  portions  which  were  burned,  it 
was  found  that  the  injury  was  much  greater  than  had  been  supposed.  In 
addition  to  that  it  is  to  be  observed — this  I  am  told  by  the  Architect,  and  I 
presume  it  is  so — that  this  is  the  largest  room  made  of  iron  in  the  world, 
and,  of  course,  there  would  be  a  greater  liability  to  error  in  estimating 
for  a  room  of  that  sort,  when  the  first  experiment  was  to  be  made  than 

'  Congressional  Globe,  30:  397. 


RECONSTRUCTION  OF  LIBRARY   ROOM,  1853.  297 

there  would  be  iu  regard  to  any  other.  The  Architect  showed  me  the 
bids  for  the  iron  alone,  and  they  ranged  from  seventy-odd  thousand  dol- 
lars— nearly  the  amount  originally  appropriated — down  to  fifty  thousand 
dollars.  He  took  the  lowest  bid;  and  it  seems  to  have  been  very  well 
executed.  But  it  was  found  that  in  order  to  finish  this  room  it  would 
require  an  additional  sura.  I  believe  it  passed  through  the  super\nsion 
of  the  Conmiittee  on  Public  Buildings  in  the  House  of  Representatives. 
This  is  the  estimate.  When  completed  the  room  will  probably  be  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  world.  The  Architect  designs  to  finish  it  in 
such  a  style  as  may  present  this  new  species  of  architecture  iu  a  more 
elegant  and  inviting  form,  and  surely  no  man  has  more  interest  than  the 
Senator  from  Pennsylvania  in  the  material  which  is  adopted  in  the  con- 
struction of  that  room.' 

At  this  point  Senator  Borland,  of  Arkansas,  made  some 
general  criticisms  upon  the  character  of  the  Architect's  con- 
tracts; Senator  Walker  was  also  disposed  to  think  that  the 
Architect's  contracts  required  investigation,  but  Mr.  Hunter 
observed: 

The  contracts  to  which  the  Senator  from  Arkansas  alludes  are  con- 
tracts in  relation  to  a  subject  which  has  been  passed  by — not  to  the 
Library  room.  We  are  all  anxious  to  have  that  room  completed,  and 
without  this  additional  appropriation  it  can  not  be  done.  We  must 
either  vote  the  money  or  suspend  the  work,  and  thus  postpone,  perhaps 
for  another  year,  the  advantages  which  we  derive  from  the  Congres- 
sional Library.  But  I  suppose  that  the  Senator  from  Arkansas  is  not 
opposing  this  additional  appropriation  for  the  Library.  He  is  only 
deriving  from  this  an  opportunity  to  expose  the  frauds  which  he  dis- 
covers in  relation  to  other  matters.  I  hope  we  shall  be  allowed  to  take 
a  vote  upon  the  amendment. 

Mr.  Brodhead  accordingly  withdrew  his  motion,  and  the 
amendment,  providing  $20,500  for  the  completion  of  the 
repairs  of  the  Library  room,  was  passed. 

With  this  additional  sum  at  his  disposal,  Architect  Walter 
resumed  work  upon  the  Library,  hoping  to  finish  it  early  in 
the  summer.  On  the  i8th  of  May  the  Washington  corre- 
spondent of  the  New  York  Tribune  wrote:  "The  workmen 
are  rapidly  pushing  the  finishing  off  of  the  chamber  of  the 
Library  of  Congress,  though  they  have  an  awful  time  of  it. 
They  are  compelled  to  keep  all  the  doors  and  windows  closed 
while  putting  on  the  gold  leaf,  creating  a  heat  so  intense  as 

^Congressional  Clobe,  30:  623. 


298  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1 85  2-1 864. 

to  compel  them  actually  to  labor  shirtless,  the  atmosphere 
being  next  in  intensity  to  a  Turkish  bath.  Faith,  they 
should  indeed  be  well  paid.'"  And  on  the  6th  of  July  the 
Librarian  took  possession  of  the  room. 

The  Library  was  closed  from  July  21  to  August  23,  to 
give  opportunity  for  the  transfer  of  the  books  to  the  new 
room.^  On  the  23d  of  August  it  was  opened,  and  Librarian 
Meehan,  "with  his  well-known  cordiality  and  bonhomie," 
made  welcome  many  who  had  been  accustomed  to  frequent 
the  old  library  room.^  President  Pierce  visited  the  room  in 
company  with  Sir  Charles  Lyell,  and  Sir  Charles  pronounced 
it  the  most  beautiful  room  in  the  world.  Few  ventured  to 
suggest  anything  in  the  way  of  improvements.'* 

It  is  not  necessary  in  this  place  to  copy  any  of  the  enthu- 
siastic descriptions  of  the  new  Library  room  which  appeared 
in  the  local  press. ^  They  were  all  based  upon  Architect 
Walter's  report  to  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings, 
January  27,  1852,  which  we  have  already  given.  We  may, 
however,  set  down  here  a  few  architectural  details  not  men- 
tioned in  that  report.  The  new  room  was  91  feet  long,  34 
feet  wide,  and  38  feet  high — the  old  room  had  been  90  feet 
by  30  feet  by  35  feet.  The  openings  between  the  main  room 
and  the  end  rooms  were  to  be  10  feet  in  width  by  28  feet  6 
inches  in  height,  crowned  by  elliptical  arches.  Bach  of  the 
galleries  encircling  the  room  was  9  feet  6  inches  in  height. 
Norto7i's  Literary  Gazette^  July  15,  1852,  took  particular 
notice  of  this  height  as  rendering  unnecessary  the  use  of 
stepladders.  The  first  gallery  projected  8  feet  6  inches  into 
the  room,  the  second  5  feet,  leaving  a  platform  3  feet  6  inches 
in  width.  There  were  12  alcoves,  each  9  feet  8  inches  in 
width,  with  a  paneled  pilaster,  marked  by  richly  ornamented 
medallions  in  the  center,  forming  the  head  of  each  projection 

^Washington  News,  May  21,  1853. 

'National  Intelligencer,  July  8,  1853.  Meehan  to  Everett,  July  22,  1853.  Library 
of  Congress  MSS. 

^National  hitelligencer,  August  15  and  24,  1853. 

♦Vertical  sections  of  the  library  room:  (i)  from  north  to  south,  (2j  from  east  to 
west,  are  given  in  Glenn  Brown's  History  of  the  Capitol,  vol.  2,  plates  169,  170. 

5  The  best  was  published  in  the  Neivs  April  16,  1853,  and  copied  by  the  National 
Intelligencer  April  23.     There  are  notices  in  the  Star,  August  23;   Union,  August  28. 


COMPLETION   OF   NEW   LIBRARY   ROOM,  1 853.  299 

between  them.  The  architraves  which  crossed  the  alcoves 
were  furnished  with  shields,  crowned  bands,  and  corner 
ornaments.  The  shields  were  designed  as  tablets  to  receive 
the  names  of  the  general  subjects  to  which  the  books  in  the 
respective  alcoves  related. 

The  ceiling,  said  to  be  the  only  iron  ceiling  in  the  world, 
was  composed  of  immense  iron  plates  looking  like  massive 
blocks  of  brown  marble  panel  work.  It  rested  upon  24  massive 
consoles,  ornamented  with  foliage,  fruits,  and  scrolls.  Bach 
of  these  was  5  feet  4  inches  in  height  by  21  inches  in  width, 
weighed  nearly  a  ton,  and  projected  from  the  face  of  the  wall 
5  feet  6  inches.  The  ceiling  was  divided  into  deepl}-  sunken 
panels,  embellished  w4th  ornate  moldings  and  foliated  pend- 
ants. The  upper  skylight  was  ornamented  with  a  cluster 
of  stars,  and  was  ^'j  feet  in  length  by  10  feet  6  inches  in 
width.  The  furniture  of  the  new  room  was  made  expressly 
for  the  Library,  in  harmony  with  the  surroundings;  the 
coloring  of  the  room,  of  the  pilasters  and  panels  was  a  neutral 
hue  tinged  with  pale  green  and  burnished  with  gold  leaf. 

Among  other  provisions  for  the  Library  room  before  1865 
was  $3,500,  IMarch  3,  1855,  to  construct  suitable  iron  railings 
in  front  of  the  alcoves,  etc.,  and  for  additional  furnaces.' 
Upon  the  latter  subject  the  Commissioner  of  Public  Build- 
ings said,  October  11,  1856: 

*  *  *  A  hot-water-heating  apparatus  has  been  erected  in  the 
crj^t  in  the  south  end  of  the  main  building  of  the  Capitol  in  the  place 
of  the  two  hot-air  furnaces,  which  from  long  use  had  become  nearly- 
good  for  nothing.  The  furnace  is  principally  intended  to  aid  in  heating 
the  Congressional  Library.  It  has  a  heating  surface  of  1,500  square 
feet,  and  when  the  water  is  kept  up  to  the  boiling  point  a  current  of  air 
equal  to  the  size  of  the  flue  through  which  it  passes  flows  into  the 
Library  at  a  temperature  of  110°  to  120°.  I  am  satisfied  that  this 
furnace  does  all  that  was  expected  of  it  and  that  it  will  contribute  its 
full  share  of  heat  toward  rendering  the  Library  comfortable. 

Congress  at  the  last  session  made  a  further  appropriation  for  heating 
the  Library,  and  I  was  requested  by  those  immediately  in  charge  of  the 
Library  to  cause  two  hot-air  furnaces  to  be  erected  in  the  place  of  the 

'|i,ooo  March  3,  1855;  $500  May  15,  1856,  and  $5,000  August  18,  1856,  the  last  for 
fuel  also.  A  correspondent  of  the  Star  (February  6,  1856)  had  complained  of  the 
want  of  heat.  In  the  summer,  on  the  other  hand,  it  was  suffocating,  at  least  in  the 
top  gallery.— 5/ar,  July  23,  1S53. 


300  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

hot-water  furnaces  in  the  crypt  under  the  north  end  of  the  Capitol.  I 
could  not  well  refuse  yielding  my  assent  to  this  request,  but  I  must  in 
justice  to  myself  state  that  I  do  not  approve  of  heating  apartments  with 
air  that  has  been  in  contact  with  intensely  heated  iron,  and  for  many 
and  substantial  reasons  which  it  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  state  in  this 
report.  The  old  furnaces  have  been  removed,  and  workmen  are  now 
engaged  in  erecting  the  hot-air  furnaces,  which  will  no  doubt  be  ready 
for  use  as  soon  as  they  will  be  required.     *     *     * ' 

It  was  this,  perhaps,  that  made  it  necessary  to  appropriate 
$900  Alarch  14,  1862,  to  ventilate  the  Library. 

This  last  appropriation  provided  also  for  replacing  the  thin 
glass  in  the  roof  of  the  Library  with  thick  glass,  and  an 
appropriation  of  $3,500,  March  3,  1863,  provided  further  for 
a  new  roof.  One  fatal  casualty  attended  the  construction  of 
this.  One  of  the  laborers  in  passing  in  under  the  rafters 
incautiously  jumped  from  the  opening  in  the  gable  on  to  one 
of  the  cast-iron  panels  in  the  ceiling  of  the  Library,  which 
broke  beneath  his  weight,  and  he  was  precipitated,  with  the 
fragments  of  the  panel  and  its  moldings,  into  the  Library. 
The  man  struck  upon  one  of  the  iron  railings  of  the  gallery 
and  was  killed.  The  fragments  fell  upon  the  main  floor, 
destroying  some  furniture  of  the  Library  and  striking  very 
near  some  visitors  who  were  at  the  time  in  the  room.^ 

At  the  same  time  a  tiled  floor  of  black  and  white  marble, 
for  which  $4,000  had  been  appropriated  by  the  act  of  Feb- 
ruary 25,  1863,  was  constructed.  Concerning  this  Mr.  B.  B. 
French,  Commissioner  of  Public  Buildings,  said,  October 
13,  1863: 

The  work  was  done  under  my  supervision,  at  the  request  of  the 
Librarian,  Colonel  Stephenson,  who  was  absent  as  a  volunteer  officer  in 
the  Arm}'  of  the  Potomac  fighting  valiantly  the  battles  of  his  country. 
The  work  has  been  well  and  faithfully,  as  well  as  beautifully,  done.  In 
consequence  of  the  large  increase  of  the  wages  of  workmen  and  the 
cost  of  material,  as  well  as  the  unforeseen  necessity  of  raising  the  iron 
railing  all  around  the  Library,  the  expenditure  exceeded  the  appropri- 
ation about  $1,200,  for  which  deficiency  I  have  estimated  in  my  regular 
estimates.  When  it  is  considered  that  the  floor  now  laid  will  last 
through  many  generations,  and  that  the  Library  had  to  be  carpeted 
as  often  as  once  in  three  years,  at  an  expense  of  between  two  and  three 

'  Thirty-fourth  Congress,  third  session.  House  executive  documents,  No.  i,  p.  849. 
=•  Thirty -eighth  Congress,  first  session,  House  executive  documents,  No.  i,  p.  660. 


;."J:f 


DRAWING  OF  CONSOLE   IN   LIBRARY. 


History  ol"  the  I.ibnirv  of  Conirress,  vol.   i,  plate  21. 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL   PLANS   OF   LIBRARY,  1 85  2.  301 

thousand  dollars,  it  will  be  admitted  that,  in  an  economical  point  of 
view,  the  money  has  been  well  expended.  As  a  matter  of  utility,  in 
avoiding  the  dust  incident  to  a  carpeted  floor,  more  injurious  in  a 
library  than  in  any  other  room,  it  is  a  great  improvement.' 

Nothing,  however,  was  done  to  enlarge  the  accommodations 
of  the  Library  and  to  carry  out  the  plans  drawn  up  by 
Architect  Walter  providing  for  two  additional  rooms  at  each 
end  of  the  Library,  beyond  the  appropriation  (June  12, 
1858)  of  $270  to  fit  up  with  shelves  two  rooms  at  the  south 
end  of  the  Library,  used  as  reading  rooms  by  members  of 
Congress,  and  put  up  a  partition  in  the  passage  to  them. 
In  his  annual  report  (October  13,  1863)  the  Commissioner 
of  Public  Buildings  called  attention  to  this  in  the  following 
words: 

The  Librarian  of  Congress  has  addressed  an  official  letter  to  me  urging 
the  necessity  of  enlarging  the  Library  of  Congress  according  to  the 
plan  of  Mr.  Walter,  the  Architect  of  the  Capitol  extension.  That 
letter,  with  the  plan  of  Mr.  Walter,  adopted  by  Congress  in  1852,  and 
his  estimates,  I  shall  submit  to  the  proper  committee  during  the  ensuing 
session.  The  enlargement,  by  the  addition  of  at  least  one  wing,  is  a 
matter  of  urgent  necessity,  as  there  is  actually  no  place  for  the  books 
on  hand.' 

Nothing,  however,  came  of  this  until  after  the  war. 

PURCHASES   OF   BOOKS. 

The  difficulty  of  restoring  the  Librar^^  was  much  greater 
than  that  of  restoring  the  Library  room.  On  the  one  hand, 
there  was  no  one  connected  with  the  Library  sufficientl}^ 
expert  to  select  the  books;  on  the  other  hand,  there  were 
comparatively  few  good  books  in  the  market,  Paris  and 
London  booksellers  said  they  had  all  gone  to  America,  wrote 
the  famous  collector  of  the  Astor  library,  Joseph  G.  Cogswell,^ 
April  22,  185 1 ;  and  by  America  they  meant  Ne\v  York  and 
Providence. 

No  one  seems  to  have  suggested  that  it  would  be  well  to 
advertise  for  bids  for  supplying  the  losses  of  the  Library,  and 
that  the  catalogues  of  the  old  Library  be  placed  in  the  hands 

'  Thirty -eighth  Congress,  first  session,  House  executive  documents.  No.  i,  p.  660. 
*  Thirty -eighth  Congress,  first  session.  House  executive  documents,  No.  i,p.  660. 
3 Life  of  Joseph  Green  Cogswell,  p.  255. 


302  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

of  American  and  European  booksellers  to  tliat  end;  no  one 
denied  that  the  new  Library  should  be  a  better  one  than  the 
old  Library;  no  one  doubted  that  selection  in  its  purchase 
would  be  necessary,  but  how  was  the  selection  to  be  made — 
that  is,  by  whom  and  on  what  principles?  Was  the  Library 
to  be  administered  by  experts  or  not?  Was  it  to  be  a  national 
library  or  not?  These  questions,  which  had  been  agitated 
before,  particularly  in  connection  with  the  purchase  of  the 
Jefferson  collection  and  the  proposed  purchase  of  the  Butur- 
lin  collection,  now  presented  themselves  again,  and  were  ably 
discussed  in  a  series  of  communications  to  the  Intelligencer^ 
April  8  and  14,  1852. 

The  anonymous  writer  of  these  two  articles  upon  the  bibli- 
ographical policy  of  the  Library — probably  Professor  Jewett — : 
said: 

The  loss  of  the  Librarj'  of  Congress  is  every  day  more  deeply  felt 
and  deplored.  There  is  now  no  public  library  in  the  city  which  can  to 
any  good  degree  supply  its  place.  The  collections  belonging  to  the 
War  and  State  Departments,  the  Patent  Office,  and  the  Smithsonian 
Institution  are  comparatively  small,  the  largest  not  exceeding  10,000 
volumes.  They  do  not  contain  the  class  of  books  most  needed  in  such 
an  emergency,  nor  can  thej^  be  conveniently  used.  Accuracy  of  state- 
ment and  correct  judgment  in  matters  requiring  investigation  of  author- 
ities are  for  the  time  rendered  almost  impossible. 

Such  being  the  case,  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  measures  have  not  yet 
been  taken  by  Congress  for  restoring  the  Library.  The  best  months  of 
the  year  for  European  purchases  are  now  nearly  past.  There  are  few 
sales  of  importance  later  than  May.  The  libraries  of  Cardinal  Mezzo- 
fanti  at  Rome,  of  the  late  King  Louis  Philippe  and  of  Peignot  at 
Paris,  the  remainder  of  the  immense  stock  of  Verbeyst  at  Brussels,  and 
many  others  of  almost  equal  importance  have  been  bought  under  the 
hammer  within  the  last  few  weeks  The  books  have,  to  a  considerable 
extent,  most  probably  fallen  at  low  prices  into  the  hands  of  traders; 
some  to  be  hereafter  bought  up  at  from  three  to  six  times  the  auction 
price  to  fill  orders  for  the  Library  of  Congress. 

The  appropriation  which  has  been  made  of  $10,000  for  the  purchase 
of  books  was  understood  to  be  merely  for  the  purchase  of  such  books  of 
reference  as  are  most  immediately  important.  Everybody  anticipates  a 
much  larger  grant  before  this  session  closes;  one  more  worthy  of  an 
intelligent,  rich,  and  liberal  nation.  That  this  will  in  time  be  made  is 
not  to  be  doubted;  but  we  regret  the  delay,  for  many  reasons;  first  and 
principally,  because  we  need  the  books  now  and  every  day.     Had  Con- 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  PLANS   OF  LIBRARY,  1 85 2.  303 

gress  moved  in  the  matter  at  once,  and  sent  a  suitable  agent  with  proper 
instructions  to  Europe  in  order  to  take  advantage  of  the  auctions  of  this 
year,  a  very  large  collection  of  books  might  have  been  received  by  mid- 
summer, at  prices  far  below  anything  before  known  at  the  Capitol. 
Now  it  is  too  late  for  the  present  season.  Books  can  not  be  bought 
except  from  dealers  at  secondhand,  and  at  prices  much  in  advance  of 
what  were  really  necessary. 

Again,  we  regret  the  delay  because  many  of  the  orders  can  not  at 
any  reasonable  price  be  filled  as  soon  as  given.  Time  is  an  important 
element,  even  when  funds  are  unlimited,  in  gathering  books  which  have 
become  rare.  We  regret  the  delay  further,  because  the  longer  it  lasts 
the  greater  is  the  throng  of  competitors  eager  to  serve  their  country  by 
sharing  in  the  job;  and  hence,  most  obviouslj^  the  less  the  probability 
of  a  judicious  selection  of  books  or  the  best  arrangements  for  purchas- 
ing. If  Congress  be  not  even  now  prepared  to  vote  appropriations,  why 
may  it  not  take  means  to  insure  a  proper  selection  of  books?  A  judi- 
cious choice  is  of  far  more  importance  than  economy  in  purchasing. 
The  latter,  under  Government  direction,  is  hardly  to  be  expected  at  anj^ 
rate.  In  the  interest  of  learning,  of  science,  of  enlightened  statesman- 
ship, we  say,  give  us  a  good  and  well-selected  Library,  whatever  be  its 
cost,  wherever  and  by  whomsoever  purchased. 

It  was  proposed  several  5'ears  ago,  by  one  of  the  most  accomplished 
scholars  that  has  ever  graced  the  Senate,  that  Congress  should  order  a 
catalogue  to  be  prepared  by  competent  bibliographers,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Library  Committee,  containing  the  titles  of  books,  to  the 
number  of  100,000,  such  as  are  held  to  be  most  important  for  the 
Library  of  Congress,  the  whole  to  be  arranged  in  five  or  more  classes, 
according  to  their  relative  importance.  It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that 
this  suggestion  was  not  adopted.  It  was  universally  approved,  but 
delayed,  neglected,  and  at  last  forgotten. 

The  Library  of  Congress  was  not,  as  a  whole,  so  well  selected  as  if 
more  system,  science,  and  unity  of  plan  had  been  regarded  in  its  com- 
position. True  it  was  one  of  the  best  libraries  in  the  country.  It  was 
one  of  the  four  largest  and  cost  proportionately  very  much  more  than 
either  of  the  others,  at  all  events  enough  to  have  made  it  far  better 
than  it  was. 

The  new  Library  should  be  a  systematic  collection  of  books  chosen 
with  competent  bibliographical  learning  for  a  specified  and  well-defined 
purpose. 

This  article  was  continued  in  tlie  National  Intelligencer^ 
April  14,  as  follow^s: 

In  a  former  article  upon  the  Library  of  Congress  we  considered  the 
paramount  importance  of  a  judicious  selection  of  books. 


304  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

Ill  order  to  be  judicious  the  selection  should  have  primary  reference 
to  the  design  of  the  Library,  the  special  purpose  for  which  it  is  formed. 
It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  a  library  is  to  be  procured  merely  as  an 
ornamental  appendage  to  the  Capitol.  It  is  intended  for  use,  prin- 
cipally for  the  use  of  Congress  during  their  sessions  and  of  the  officers 
of  the  Government  at  all  times,  and  incidentally  for  the  use  of  the 
public. 

Everyone  may  see  the  absurdity  of  taking  as  a  guide,  in  selecting 
such  a  librar>^  a  catalogue  made  by  the  most  competent  men  for  the 
library  of  a  medical  school  or  of  a  theological  seminary  or  of  a  mining 
academy.  Not  less  unsuitable,  though  less  obviously  so,  would  it  be  to 
follow  a  list  chosen  most  skillfully  for  a  miscellaneous  city  library — a  col- 
lection of  books  for  popular  reading — though  many  of  the  books  may  be 
deemed  equally  indispensable  in  each  of  these  collections.  The  selec- 
tion should  be  made  especially  and  independently  for  this  Library  and 
substautiall}-  according  to  the  suggestions  of  the  honorable  Senator  to 
which  we  have  already  referred. 

The  Library  of  Congress  has  frequently  been  styled  the  National 
Library.  In  one  sense  it  is  such.  It  belongs  to  the  nation.  But  so 
does  the  library  of  the  War  Department.  Yet  neither  of  them  has  ever 
answered,  or  indeed  aimed  at  answering,  what  we  understand  to  be  the 
design  of  a  National  Library,  nor  do  we  think  it  likel}'  that  the  Library 
of  Congress  will  ever  supplj^  this  great  demand  of  American  scholars. 

There  ought  to  be  in  every  country  at  least  one  library,  accessible  to 
all  students,  which  should  aim  at  possessing  every  book — at  meeting  the 
wants  of  every  investigator;  one  great  literary  depot  where  no  books 
should  be  esteemed  as  trash. 

There  are  probably  more  than  2,000,000  different  books  extant.  Now, 
if  all  men  engaged  worthily  in  literary  pursuits  could  be  brought  together 
and  each  book  of  the  2,000,000  be  separately  offered  for  total  destruc- 
tion, unless  some  voice  in  the  throng  declared  it  to  be  for  some  assign- 
able reason  worthy  of  presen'ation,  everj^  book  would  find  an  advocate. 
The  books  which  to  one  man  are  trash  are  to  another  above  all  price. 
Those  which  to  one  age  are  well-nigh  worthless  are  the  choicest  treasures 
of  the  next.  Milton's  Paradise  Lost  and  Newton's  Principia  would 
hardly  have  been  selected  for  a  choice  library  when  they  were  first  pub- 
lished, if  we  may  judge  from  their  earl}^  reception.  A  contemporary  of 
Shakespeare  and  the  founder  of  one  of  the  largest  libraries  in  the  world 
(Sir  Thomas  Bodley)  wrote  thus  to  his  librarian:  "Haply  some  plays 
may  be  worth  the  keeping,  but  hardly  one  in  forty;  for  it  is  not  alike  in 
English  plays  and  others  of  other  nations,  because  they  are  most  esteemed 
for  learning  the  languages,  and  many  of  them  compiled  by  men  of  great 
fame  for  wisdom  and  learning,  which  is  seldom  or  never  here  among  us. 
Were  it  so  again  that  some  little  profit  might  be  reaped  (which  God 
knows  is  very  little)  out  of  some  of  our  playbooks,  the  benefit  thereof 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL   PLANS   OF   LIBRARY,  1 85 2.  305 

will  nothing  near  counten-ail  the  harm  that  the  scandal  will  bring  upon 
the  librar}-  when  it  shall  be  gi\'en  out  that  we  stuffed  it  full  with  baggage 
books,  etc. ' '  One  of  the  largest  libraries  iu  England  rejected  as  unworthy 
a  place  on  its  shelves  when  offered  as  gifts  the  Antiquary,  Mrs.  Opie's 
novels,  one  of  Wordsworth's  odes,  Cobbett's  publications,  Jameson  on 
Minerals  (second  edition),  the  Edinburgh  Medical  and  Surgical  Journal, 
the  Siege  of  Corinth,  Lord  Brougham's  speech  on  agricultural  distress, 
McCulloch's  essa}'  on  the  national  debt,  Beethoven's  musical  composi- 
tions, and  many  more  works  in  one  3-ear.  These  were  trash  to  the 
librarian  or  the  committee  who  rejected  them,  but  not  to  the  world. 
Yet  similar  misapprehensions  occur  continually  where  rejection  is 
allowed.  In  at  least  one  library,  therefore,  reception  and  preservation 
should  be  imperative.  We  know  not  what  among  all  the  publications 
of  the  present  may  a  century  hence  be  esteemed  most  valuable.  It 
savors  of  arrogance  and  of  ignorance  for  anj-  man  to  say  that  any  book 
is  and  must  ever  remain  utterly  useless  to  everybody.  The  book  that 
contains  no  new  fact  or  thought  and  no  happier  wa}'  of  stating  old  ones 
may  3'et  be  useful.  It  maj'  show  incidentally  some  custom  of  the  age; 
something  respecting  the  state  of  the  language  at  the  time  when  it  was 
written.  It  may  illustrate  the  history  of  tj'pography  or  of  binding.  It 
may  even  teach  a  lesson  by  its  very  unprofitableness. 

We  have  seen  in  the  librar}-  of  a  distinguished  citizen  of  Washing- 
ton a  row  of  books  from  which  he  has  drawn  most  valuable  information, 
made  original,  striking,  and  important  discoveries  respecting  the  history 
and  practice  of  printing  in  its  early  days;  books,  the  subject-matter  of 
which  is  to  him  unknown  or  totally  a  matter  of  indifference.  The  first 
diagram  of  iron  suspension  bridges  is  to  be  found,  it  is  said,  in  a  volume 
of  neglected  and  forgotten  plates  published  in  Venice  by  Fausto  \"erantio 
toward  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century.  ' '  Who  would  have  imagined, ' ' 
asks  Libri,  "that  the  obscure  author  of  a  small  pamphlet,  '  Le  Souper 
de  Beaucaire,'  would  subsequently  become  the  Emperor  Napoleon,  and 
that  to  write  fully  the  life  of  the  execrable  Marat  one  ought  to  have 
the  very  insignificant  essays  on  physics  that  he  published  before  the 
revolution  ? ' ' 

Such  examples  could  be  multiplied  a  thousandfold.  We  fear,  how- 
ever, that  we  are  illustrating  this  topic  at  too  great  length.  We  wished 
to  show  that  at  least  one  library  which  rejects  nothing  and  desires 
everything  in  the  .shape  of  literary  productions  is  demanded  by  the 
interests  of  science  and  of  literature  in  every  country;  that  every  gov- 
ernment should  take  pride  in  its  own,  should  foster  and  aid  it  as  far  as 
possible.  Such  would  be  our  idea  of  a  National  Library — an  establish- 
ment like  the  Bibliotheque  Nationale  in  Paris  and  the  British  Museum 
in  London.  We  suppose  it  was  the  intention  of  Congress  and  of  the 
officers  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  to  lay  the  foundations  of  such  a 
23399—04 20 


3o6  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,   1 85 2-1 864. 

library  there.  The  rapidity  with  which  it  will  grow  must,  of  course, 
depend  mainly  upon  the  liberality  of  men  who  appreciate  the  value  of 
such  an  enterprise.  The  spirit  which  made  the  bequest,  and  which 
dictated  its  direction,  is  but  stimulated  by  success,  and  will,  no  doubt, 
in  time  make  a  collection  worthy  to  be  called  the  National  Library  of 
America.  To  this  end  Congress  will,  we  trust,  be  ever  ready  to 
contribute. 

But  the  Library  of  Congress  we  suppose  to  be  intended  principally  for 
the  use  of  members  of  Congress  and  of  other  ofl&cers  of  the  Government. 
Great  liberality  has  always  been  shown  in  extending  its  privileges  to 
others.  But  we  doubt  whether  it  is  desirable  to  aim  at  making  it  the 
great  library  of  reference  and  research  for  the  country — the  National 
Library.  It  would  be  difficult,  perhaps  it  would  defeat  its  chief  end,  to 
subject  it  to  the  regulations  which  would  be  indispensable  to  the  proper 
conducting  of  a  National  Library.  It  should  rather,  we  think,  be 
regarded  as  a  legislative  library,  and  the  aim  should  be  to  make  it 
the  best  in  the  world  of  its  kind.  The  Chamber  of  Deputies  in  France 
possess  a  library  of  more  than  60,000  volumes  in  the  same  city  as  the 
National  Library  of  800,000  volumes.  The  House  of  Commons  of  Great 
Britain  is  collecting  for  itself  a  valuable  library,  though  in  the  same 
city  with  the  British  Museum — the  National  Library  of  Great  Britain — 
with  its  450,000  volumes. 

In  sad  contrast  with  the  wise  plans  here  set  forth  was  the 
performance  of  the  Library  authorities.  The  easily  satisfied 
public,  represented  by  the  easily  satisfied  members  of  Con- 
gress, was  pleased  with  the  number  and  cheapness  of  the 
books  purchased,  but  those  who  needed  the  books  for  use  and 
those  who  desired  to  see  a  library  in  the  capital  worthy  of  the 
nation  were  disappointed.  Among  these  one  who  believed 
that  there  should  be  a  national  library  in  the  United  States, 
and  that  such  a  library  must  be  maintained  by  the  Govern- 
ment, wrote  from  Washington  to  the  Neiv  York  Tribuiie: 

With  the  inexhaustible  means  at  the  disposal  of  Congress,  and  its 
undoubted  good  will  to  do  something  grand  and  worthy  of  the  name  of 
a  Congressional  Library  of  such  an  unparalleled  great  country  as  the 
United  States,  it  ought  and  can  be  the  first  library  for  choice  and  even 
for  number  in  America,  and  could  become  one  without  precedent  and 
unrivaled — to  be  counted  among  the  first  libraries  of  the  civilized  world. 
Being  intended  to  serve  the  use  of  a  political  body,  its  fundamental  idea, 
its  principal  aim,  ought  to  be  to  possess  the  most  complete  standard  col- 
lection in  those  branches  of  knowledge  which  concur  to  form  and  nour- 
ish the  mind  of  the  real  statesman,  and  not  to  be  merely  a  vade  mcaun  for 
an  accidental,  superficial  busybody  of  a  politician.  Any  enumeration  of 
these  so  varied  and  all-embracing  branches  belongs  not  here.     Such  a 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL    PLANS   OF   LIBRARY,  1 85 2.  307 

selection,  made  on  a  large,  on  an  immense  scale,  ought  not  to  be  limited 
to  encyclopedias,  or  to  productions  in  the  English  language  alone.  As 
is  now  the  case,  and  will  be  more  and  more  the  case,  America  represents 
humanity;  and  all  the  beacons,  all  the  various  products  of  the  inex- 
haustible versatility  of  the  human  mind,  all  its  manifestations  ought  to 
be  within  the  reach  of  its  citizens,  of  its  legislators.  The  belles-lettres, 
the  fine  arts,  and  the  like  rather  light  literatures  ought  to  form  well- 
chosen  aids.  In  its  principal  object,  that  of  satisfying,  or  even  unfold- 
ing the  mind  of  a  statesman,  the  Congressional  Library  ought  above  all 
to  be  suggestive  and  stimulating,  and  to  exercise  such  an  action  it  must 
be  as  complete  as  it  is  allowed  to  any  human  work  to  be.  Suggestive 
and  stimulating ,  say  we;  that  is,  evoking,  directing,  and  encouraging  an 
inquisitive  mind  in  its  studies,  researches — opening  before  him,  as  it 
were,  unawares,  without  exhausting  and  annoying  efforts  and  trouble- 
some details,  the  accumulated  treasures  and  higher  products  of  the 
human  intellect,  thus  conducting  him  gently  by  the  hand,  exercising  on 
him  an  irresistible  attraction  to  penetrate  deeper  and  deeper  among  those 
clear  and  lofty  regions  of  a  new,  and,  for  verj^  many,  an  unknown  intel- 
lectual world.  How  pleasantly  refreshing  is  it  to  make  the  hearty  con- 
fession that  the  American  mind  at  large  distinguishes  itself  above  all 
others  by  its  eagerness,  its  craving  after  instruction,  information,  knowl- 
edge! And  this  is  still  more  the  case  with  those  fresh  natures  coming 
here  from  the  remotest  parts  of  the  continent,  where  the  scarcely  settled 
state  of  society  renders  it  impossible  to  have  good  libraries,  to  offer  to 
the  mind  a  wholesome,  solid,  and  strong  nourishment.  A  well-filled 
and  systematical!}'  organized  Library  will  of  itself  give  a  direction  to  such 
minds,  and  exercise  over  them  a  beneficial  tuition.  God  grant  that  the 
wish  for  such  a  Library  here  may  not  remain  among  those  pious  desires 
which  are  never  to  be  realized! 

What  has  already  been  done  toward  replenishing  the  empt)*  shelves 
of  the  Congressional  Library  has  been  directed  rather  by  booksellers, 
eager  for  lucre,  than  by  a  bibliograph,  or  a  bibliophile,  or  any  systematic 
intellect  whatever.  It  shows  clearly  before  one's  eyes  that  these  book- 
sellers wished  to  get  rid  of  costly  works  and  editions  which  for  years 
had  found  no  purchasers  and  thus  formed  a  dead  capital  in  their  shops. 
They  have  succeeded  thus  far.  As  we  are  told,  a  well-known  house  from 
Boston,  supported  by  influential  men,  discharges  in  this  manner  upon 
the  shelves  of  this  Library  all  its  useless  editions  and  gets  well  paid  for 
this  bibliographical  trash.  By  and  by  booksellers  from  other  cities  will 
follow  and  share  the  spoils.  Next  will  be  the  turn  of  .some  European 
houses.  And  thus  very  likely  a  great  number  of  volumes  will  be  scram- 
bled together,  but  will  there  be  a  world  of  real,  higher  intellectual  life? 
Dubito,  but  utinavi  siyi  falsus.     I  doubt,  but  hope  to  prove  mistaken. 

P.  S.' 
^  New  y^orA-  '/'/idu/zr,  May  31,  1852. 


308  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,   1 85 2-1 864. 

In  answer  to  this  a  correspondent  of  Norton'^s  Literary 
Gazette^  July  15,  1852,  said: 

Having  recently  had  the  pleasure  of  visiting  this  Library,  we  are 
enabled  to  state,  from  personal  observations,  that  the  attack  made 
through  the  columns  of  the  Trihinc  and  by  its  regular  correspondent 
upon  the  selection  of  books  latel}^  added  is  entirely  undesers'ed ;  the 
books  are  well  selected,  of  good  editions,  and  as  we  were  enabled  to 
learn  from  information  afforded  us  hy  the  gentlemanly  lyibrarian,  Mr. 
Meehan,  the)^  have  been  bought  at  fair  prices,  and  are  not  "the  old 
stock  of  some  bookseller  foisted  on  the  Government  at  a  high  price." 
What  motives  could  have  given  rise  to  so  uncalled-for  an  attack  we 
can  not  imagine. 

But  there  was,  without  doubt,  some  truth  in  the  Tribune 
correspondent's  remarks.  The  purchase  of  books  had  not 
been  conducted  systematically  and  upon  bibliographical  prin- 
ciples. The  Library  Committee  saw  this,  and  at  their  next 
meeting,  August  18,  1852 — 

Resolved,  That  it  is  expedient  to  procure  complete  lists  of  books  in  the 
various  chapters  included  in  the  catalogue  of  the  Library;  and  that  the 
chairman  be  instructed  to  address  scientific  and  literary  gentlemen  on 
the  subject. 

This  plan,  of  course,  failed,  and  consequently  at  the  meeting 
of  the  committee  March  3,  1853,  it  was — 

Resolved,  That  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  a  Library  for  the  Congress 
of  the  United  States  on  the  most  complete  and  systematic  plan  the 
Librarian  be  requested  to  prepare  as  soon  as  may  be  catalogues  of  books 
according  to  chapters  or  departments,  including  all  geological  works 
under  the  head  of  geology,  all  ancient  and  modern  histories,  with  Amer- 
ican, English,  and  French,  etc.,  all  works  in  the  departments  of  ancient 
classics,  and  modern  belles-lettres,  etc.  (so  far  as  the  same  are  not  in 
the  Library),  under  their  respective  heads  and  according  to  the  language 
in  which  they  are  written. 

And  further  resolved,  That  when  said  catalogues  shall  be  prepared  all 
per.sons  who  wish  to  supply  the  books  so  designated  may  take  a  copy 
thereof  and  propose  terms  for  furnishing  the  same;  and  those  persons 
who,  all  things  equal,  shall  propose  to  furnish  the  books  on  terms  most 
economical  to  the  Government  shall  have  the  contracts  awarded  to  them 
on  condition  of  giving  security  for  the  faithful  performance  of  the  same. 

The  bibliographical  direction  of  the  Library,  which  was  for- 
merl}^  the  work  of  the  Library  Committee,  was  thus  delegated 
to  the  Librarian.     From  one  point  of  view  this  was  fortunate, 


BIBTJOGRAPHICAL   PLANS   OF   LIBRARY,   1 85 2.  309 

because  tlie  work  of  selecting  books  for  the  Library  was  the 
best  preparation  for  that  of  using  them  after  they  reached  the 
Librar}'  shelves.  On  the  other  hand,  it  was  unfortunate  that 
the  selection  should  be  made  by  one  man,  and  that  one  a  per- 
son of  very  limited  bibliographical  experience/ 

On  the  13th  of  Januarj^,  1852,  Congress  had  placed  $10,000 
at  the  disposal  of  the  Library  authorities  for  the  purchase  of 
such  books  as  were  immediately  necessary.  On  the  31st  of 
August,  1852,  $75,000  more  had  been  voted  for  books,  furni- 
ture, and  contingent  expenses,  and  the  committee  authorized 
to  sell  any  works  in  the  Library  which  were  rendered  imper- 
fect by  the  fire  and  appropriate  the  proceeds  of  said  sale  to 
the  purchase  of  other  works. 

Most  persons  were  of  opinion  that  Congress  could  not  be 
brought  to  make  an  appropriation  exceeding  $30,000  for  the 
purchase  of  books;  but  when  Mr.  Chandler,  of  the  Library 
Committee,  proposed  $75,000  it  was  readily  granted,  and  Pro- 
fessor Jewett  thought  it  would  have  been  had  he  asked 
$200,000,  if  Congress  had  thought  that  sum  necessary  and 
believed  it  would  be  honestly  and  judiciously  devoted  to  the 
gathering  of  a  good  library.^ 

Upon  this  plan  and  with  these  means  at  his  disposal  the 
Librarian  made  his  purchases  for  the  Library,  largely  through 
the  Library's  London  agent.  Rich  Brothers,  whose  activity 
in  the  interests  of  the  Library  was  noticed  in  the  London 
Athencsum^  September  10,  1853,  in  the  following  pleasant 
fashion: 

Last  advices  from  America  tell  us  that  the  Library  of  Congress,  so 
lately  damaged  by  the  fire  at  Washington,  has  been  reopened.  We 
notice  this  as  showing  with  what  care  and  readiness  our  cousins  on  the 
western  shores  of  the  great  waters  look  to  literary  interests.  In  our 
rambles  through  the  bookshops  of  London  we  have  lately  found  innu- 
merable traces  of  American  activity  in  the  book -buying  line.  All  the 
good  editions  of  old  books  are  rising  in  value.  Within  these  dozen 
years  memoirs  and  collections  of  the  contemporary  literature  of  the  six- 
teenth and  seventeenth  centuries  in  this  country  have  advanced  in  price 

'The  lists  which  the  librarian  drew  up  in  consequence  of  this  resolution  embraced, 
for  the  most  part,  merely  such  works  as  had  been  lost  in  the  fire,  and  were  made  up 
from  the  last  printed  catalogue  of  the  library. — Meehan  to  Senator  Pearce,  May  4, 

1853. 
"" Norton' s  Literary  Gazette,  3:  173,  October  15,  1853. 


3IO  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1 85  2-1 864. 

from  30  to  100  per  cent.  Parti)'.  110  doubt,  this  advance  arises  from  the 
fact  of  greater  attention  being  paid  to  historical  matters,  the  day  being 
past  when  a  minister  of  the  Crown  might  confess,  as  in  the  anecdote 
told  by  Mr.  Macaulay,  that  he  had  never  heard  of  "Empson  and  Dud- 
ley." But  the  rise  has  been  occasioned  chiefly  b}^  the  growth  of  a  large 
demand  for  such  books  in  America.  Congress  has  two  agents  in  Lon- 
don— one  literar}',  one  political,  and  we  fancy  the  former  is  the  more 
active  and  important  functionary  of  the  two.  One  of  these  agents  has 
his  headquarters  in  Piccadilly,  and  his  papers  accredit  him  to  the  Court 
of  St.  James;  the  other  has  his  quarters  at  Charing  Cross,  and  his  com- 
mission is  to  the  bookstalls  of  London  streets.  We  could  tell  the  story 
of  many  a  literary  treasure  which  has  found  its  way — sometimes  at  the 
price  of  "an  old  song" — into  this  officer's  hands,  and  thence  into  the 
archives  and  libraries  of  the  United  States.  He  is  always  on  the  spot, 
he  has  a  liberal  discretion  in  his  purchases,  and  he  never  throws  away  a 
good  thing  for  lack  of  power  or  appreciation.  With  such  agencies  at  its 
service  we  need  not  feel  surprised  that  accidental  losses  of  literary  treas- 
ures, whether  by  fire  or  by  flood,  are  speedily  repaired  in  the  United 
States.' 

COLLECTIONS  AND  DEPARTMENTS,  1852-1864. 

As  a  result  of  this  activity  of  the  o£&cials  and  agents  of  the 
Library,  between  3,000  and  4,ocmd  volumes  were  added  to  the 
collection  by  the  2 2d  of  Ma}-,  1852,^  and  when  the  new  room 
was  opened  August  23,  1853,  the  books  numbered  about  35,000 
volumes,  of  which  from  25,000  to  30,000  were  already  in  place.^ 
This  was  about  three-fourths  the  size  of  the  old  collection, 
and  the  additions,  the  National  Intelligencer  said  (August  15, 
1853),  had  been  made  at  prices  considerably  lower  than  the 
previous  cost,"*  while  in  many  cases  the  editions  were  later  and 
better  and  the  books  in  better  bindings. 

Ben:  Perley  Poore  said  that  the  Library  did  not  at  that 
time  contain  a  good  modem  encyclopedia,^  but  in  this  he  was 

^Athenceuin,  September  10,  1853,  p.  1072,  copied  in  National  Intelligencer 
October  24,  1853.  Among  the  rarities  thus  acquired  was  the  bull  of  Pope  Alexander 
VI,  by  which  he  divided  the  new  world  between  Portugal  and  Spain,  published  in 
Rome  in  1493.  An  interesting  incident  in  the  history  of  this  treasure  is  recorded  in 
iht.  Publishers''  Weekly  2,<):  705,  May  23,  1891. 

'  Washington  Republic,  May  22,  1S52. 

^Washington  Republic,  June  20,  1853;  National  Intelligencer,  August  24,  1853. 

*At  an  average  cost  of  I1.95  per  volume. — Star,  January  6,  1854;  Norton's  Liter- 
ary Gazette,  February  i,  1S54,  p.  60.  The  Astor  Library  had  cost  $1.25  per  volume. — 
Literary  World,  February  12,  1853,  p.  135.  The  library  collected  before  the  fire  had 
cost  1:3.50  per  volume.— Edward  Edwards's  evidence  before  the  Parliamentary  com- 
mittee on  public  libraries,  June  5,  1849,  P-  245. 

5  Reminiscences  i:  387-388. 


THE   COLLECTION  OF   BOOKS   IN    1 864.  31I 

mistaken.  The  Library  was  a  good  reference  library  for  the 
average  legislator,  though  it  was  little  more,  and  aimed  to  be 
little  more. 

The  United  States  Magazine  (August,  1856),  noticed  some 
rarities,  among  them  De  Bry's  Vo3'ages,  Lord  Kingsborough's 
work  on  Mexican  antiquities,  Napoleon's  work  on  Egypt, 
Champollion's  works,  etc' 

But  the  collection  of  Americana  was  very  poor.  A  corre- 
spondent of  the  Union  (September  16,  1853)  called  attention 
to  this  fact,  referring  particularly  to  the  desirability  of 
strengthening  the  collection  of  American  topography.  Con- 
tinuing he  said:  "The  plan  which  we  would  respectfully 
suggest  is  to  have  contributions  of  such  volumes  as  we  have 
described  from  the  several  States  of  the  Confederacy  arranged 
and  classified  under  different  State  heads.  From  the  New 
England  States  everything  pertaining  to  the  Pilgrim  colony 
should  be  carefully  gathered  and  placed  under  the  protection 
of  the  old  colonial  coat  of  arms.  From  the  Central  States  all 
that  is  identified  with  the  discoveries  of  Hendrick  Hudson, 
etc.  '="  '•'  *  What  galleries  of  sacred  memorials  would 
these  be  to  the  American  people !  And  what  pride  would  each 
State  of  the  Union  take  in  sending  its  authentic  record  of  the 
time-honored  and  man-honored  events  that  have  helped  to 
make  our  nation  what  it  is !  Such  a  Library  would  be  national 
indeed."  '^'  '•"  *  No  serious  effort  to  complete  the  collec- 
tion of  local  histories  and  local  prints,  however,  seems  to  have 
been  made,  and  the  Library  remained  exceedingly  weak  in 
this  direction  until  the  acquisition  of  the  Force  collection  in 
1867. 

One  other  notice  of  the  collection  of  books  in  the  Library 
before  the  close  of  this  period  may  be  quoted.  It  appeared  in 
the  Washington  Chronicle^  November  13,  1864,  and  was  as 
follows: 

We  learn  that  the  additions  to  this  noble  collection  of  books  during 
the  current  j^ear  will  number  nearly  4,000  volumes,  embracing  valuable 
works,  old  and  new,  on  a  great  variety  of  subjects,  and  especially  rich 
in  books  relating  to  the  disco^•ery,  settlement,  history,  and  topography 

'  The  offer  of  the  collection  of  Persian  literature  made  by  Prince  Dimitri  Dolgo- 
rukov  of  Russia  was  declined  May  14,  1S58,  as  the  offers  of  the  Durazzo  and  Bu- 
turlin  and  other  collections  had  been  declined  before. 


312  DEVEIrOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

of.  the  American  coutineut.  This  latter  branch  of  Hterature  has  been 
made  a  special  feature  of  the  selections  for  increase  of  the  Library  under 
its  present  management,  and  if  continued  as  zealously  as  heretofore, 
there  will  soon  remain  few  works  on  our  history,  geography,  or  politics 
of  which  the  Congressional  Library  will  not  possess  a  copy.  The  law 
department  of  the  lyibrary,  which  is  used  alike  by  Congress  and  the 
Supreme  Court,  has  also  received  valuable  additions,  especially  in  the 
department  of  trials,  American  and  foreign,  including,  in  addition  to 
all  the  most  celebrated  collections,  hundreds  of  interesting  trials  reported 
separately.  This  collection  embraces  nearly  every  trial  for  treason, 
ancient  or  modern,  and  is  undoubtedly  the  most  complete  one  outside  of 
the  British  Museum. 

In  the  department  of  finely  illustrated  works  the  Library  is  steadily 
growing.  The  most  noteworthy  addition  of  the  present  season  is,  per- 
haps, the  splendid  French  edition  of  Don  Quixote,  in  two  large  folio 
volumes,  illustrated  by  Gustave  Dore,  whose  wonderful  illustrations  of 
Dante  and  other  strikingly  original  works  have  rendered  him  famous 
among  living  artists. 

Of  the  policy  of  the  Library  regarding  the  special  depart- 
ments of  law  and  documents  before  the  war  we  have  already 
spoken.  Of  the  other  special  departments — manuscripts, 
newspapers,  and  maps — we  have  still  to  speak. 

The  collection  of  manuscripts  contained  but  little.  There 
was  a  journal  kept  on  board  the  British  ship  Zealous  in  the 
year  1792,  presented  to  the  Library  by  Col.  Joseph  Watson, 
a  resident  of  the  city,  March  13,  1830;  a  copy  of  "Instructions 
of  the  Count  Revillagigedo,  viceroy  of  Mexico,  to  his  succes- 
sor in  1794,"  presented  by  Jose  Maria  Tornel,  minister  from 
Mexico,  April  10,  1830;  the  Jefferson  MSS.  acquired  in  1815 
and  in  1829,  28  volumes,  including  laws  and  orders  of  the 
general  assembly  of  Virginia,  162 2-1 712,  8  volumes;  minutes 
of  the  assembly  and  other  colonial  records,  1606-1700,  7 
volumes;  records  and  papers  of  the  London  Company  of 
Virginia,  1619-1624,  2  volumes;  Notes  on  Virginia,'  law 
notes,  historical  notes,  and  copies  of  treatises  upon  religious 
and  philosophical  subjects.     These  were  all.^     One  attempt 

^"t\L&  Literary  World  called  attention  to  the  value  of  these,  but  the  National 
Intelligencer,  April  2,  1849,  obsei-ved  that  of  the  75  pages  in  this  manuscript  only 
about  ten  were  in  the  autograph  of  Jefferson.  This  manuscript  had  only  recently 
been  presented  to  the  Library.— 6';/ /<?//,  March  10,  1849. 

^'An  exhibition  in  the  Library  of  the  oriental  manuscripts  collected  by  William  B. 
Hodgson,  consul-general  at  Algiers,  is  noticed  in  the  National  Intelligencer,  March 
2,  1830. 


DEPARTMENT   OF   MANUSCRIPTS.  313 

on  the  part  of  the  committee  to  add  to  this  collection  is 
recorded.  On  the  28th  of  January,  1848,  they  ^^ Resolved^ 
That  the  Honorable  Mr.  Pearce,  chairman  of  the  committee, 
be  requested  and  authorized,  in  behalf  of  this  committee,  to 
purchase  on  such  terms  as  he  may  deem  reasonable,  of  Har- 
vard University,  if  it  will  sell  the  same,  De  Brahme's  MSS., 
reports,  and  maps,  and  other  manuscripts  owned  by  it  relating 
to  Florida,  for  the  Library  of  Congress,  and  if  said  university 
will  not  dispose  of  such  manuscripts  to  obtain,  if  practicable, 
the  loan  thereof  for  a  few  weeks,  and  permission  to  have  the 
same  transcribed  for  said  library  upon  such  terms  as  said 
university  ma}^  prescribe;  and  that  in  such  case  the  chairman 
procure  the  same  to  be  copied  and  defray  the  expense  thereof 
out  of  the  Library  fund."  Nothing,  however,  seems  to  have 
come  of  this. 

As  far  as  the  department  of  manuscripts  was  concerned, 
nothing  more  than  the  passage  of  this  resolution  seems  to 
have  been  accomplished  during  this  period.  December  27, 
1856,  the  remarkable  collection  of  manuscripts  made  by 
William  Upcott,  of  Islington,  England,  was  refused; '  January 
29,  1845,  ^  letter  was  received  from  Obadiah  Rich,  agent  of 
the  committee  in  London,  in  which  he  offered  to  sell  the  com- 
mittee for  the  sum  of  ^240  sterling  24  volumes  of  unpublished 
manuscripts  in  relation  to  the  earliest  history  of  America, 
and  it  was  referred  to  the  honorable  Mr.  Pearce  for  exam- 
ination. February  23,  1861,  the  memorial  of  Charles  B. 
Norton,  praying  Congress  to  make  an  appropriation,  not  to 
exceed  $4,000,  for  the  purchase  of  a  collection  of  original 
manuscripts  now  in  his  possession,  containing,  with  many 
others,  the  famous  "Hartley  correspondence"  and  the  origi- 
nal map  of  the  United  States  sketched  by  Benjamin  Franklin, 
referred  to  in  the  treaty  with  Great  Britain  in  the  year  i ^^-x, — 
the  manuscript  bound  in  five  volumes  folio  and  the  map  bound 
to  match — was  considered  and  laid  on  the  table. 

But,  worse  than  all  was  the  treatment  accorded  the  impor- 
tant propositions  made  by  Mr.  Converse,  Mr.  Somerbj^,  and 

'  Minutes,  December  27,  1836.  This  was  sold  by  Sotheby  in  1846,  and  is  said  to 
have  realized  ^^4,125  17s.  6d.  There  is  a  catalogue  of  it  entitled  "Original  letters, 
manuscripts,  and  state  papers,  collected  by  William  Upcott."  I^ondon,  pr.  pr.,  1836. 
I  p.  1.,  64  pp.     Facsimile.     4°. 


314  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

]\lr,  Sainsbur}^,  for  the  copying  or  calendaring  of  manuscripts 
in  the  English  archives  relating  to  the  American  colonies, 
propositions  which  were  first  treated  with  neglect  and  finally 
rejected  altogether,  so  that  the  work  which  might  have  been 
done  by  one  authority  once  for  all  was  left  to  be  done  by 
different  persons  having  different  objects  in  view,  and  so 
never  completed.' 

These  propositions  for  the  calendaring  of  manuscripts  in 
the  English  archives  relating  to  the  American  colonies  are 
of  such  lasting  interest  that,  although  they  came  to  nought 
at  the  time,  their  history  may  be  given  here  as  an  indication 
of  what  scholars  looked  for  from  the  Government  in  these 
early  days. 

On  the  24th  of  February,  1827,  Mr.  Everett  had  introduced 
into  Congress  a  resolution  providing  that  copies  of  all  papers 
in  the  archives  of  Great  Britain  relating  to  the  history  of 
the  American  colonies  be  secured  and  placed  in  the  Library 
of  Congress. 

February  8,  1828,  Mr.  McDuffie,  from  the  Committee  on 
Ways  and  Means,  reported  a  bill  (Twentieth  Congress,  first 

'Among  local  efforts  to  index  this  material,  the  results  of  which  have  been  printed, 
the  following  may  be  noted:  "Indexes  to  documents  relative  to  North  Carolina  dur- 
ing the  colonial  existence  of  said  State,  now  on  file  in  the  offices  of  the  board  of 
trade  and  state  paper  office  in  London,"  Raleigh,  1843;  "Calendar  to  the  London 
documents  in  the  office  of  the  secretary  of  state,  etc.,  transcribed  from  the  originals 
in  the  Queen's  state  paper  office,  in  the  office  of  the  privy  council,  in  the  library  of 
the  British  Museum,  and  in  the  library  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,"  in  the 
final  report  of  John  Romeyn  Brodhead  made  to  the  governor,  February  12,  1845, 
New  York,  Senate  document  No.  47;  "  Catalogue  of  papers  relating  to  Pennsylvania 
and  Delaware,  deposited  at  the  state  paper  office,  London,"  in  Pennsylvania  hi.stori- 
cal  society  memoirs  (1850),  vol.  4,  pt.  2;  "The  list  and  abstract  of  papers  in  the 
state  paper  office,  London,  relating  to  South  Carolina,"  published  in  the  collections 
of  the  South  Carolina  Historical  Society,  vols.  1-3,  1857-59;  "A  catalogue  of  original 
documents  in  the  English  archives  relating  to  the  early  history  of  the  State  of 
Maine,"  collected  by  H.  G.  Somerby  and  edited  for  the  Maine  Historical  Societ}'  by 
George  Folsom,  New  York,  1858;  "An  analytical  index  to  the  colonial  documents  of 
New  Jersey  in  the  state  paper  offices  of  England,"  compiled  by  Henry  Stevens  and 
edited  by  W.  A.  Whitehead  for  the  New  Jersey  Historical  Society's  collections, 
vol.  5,  1858;  "  List  of  documents  in  the  public  record  office  in  London,  England, 
relating  to  the  province  of  New  Hampshire,"  New  Hampshire  Historical  Society 
collections,  vol.  10,  Manchester,  1893. 

Some  of  the  difficulties  which  .stood  in  the  way  of  these  local  undertakings  are 
shown  in  the  correspondence  relating  to  the  investigation  instituted  by  the  State  of 
New  York.  Twenty-seventh  Congress,  second  session,  House  document  No.  108, 
February  19,  1842. 


TRANSCRIPTS   OF   COLONIAL   RECORDS.  315 

session,  H.  R.  154)  authorizing  the  President  of  the  United 
States  to  employ  an  agent  to  procure  from  the  plantation 
office  and  other  offices  in  England  copies  of  such  documents 
as  would  serve  to  illustrate  the  early  history  of  the  States  of 
the  Union  up  to  the  year  1783  and  appropriating  the  sum  of 
$2,000  for  the  purpose.  Referring  to  the  failure  of  this 
measure,  Jared  Sparks  said: ' 

It  was  hoped  that  Congress  would  take  measures  to  procure  copies  of 
these  papers,  as  both  the  States  of  Georgia  and  North  CaroHna  had  made 
apphcation  to  the  General  Government  for  this  object  in  reference  to 
those  States.  *  *  *  Congress  have  so  much  to  do  with  the  present 
that  they  have  no  time  to  think  of  the  past.  We  all  love  to  boast,  and 
even  our  members  of  Congress  are  not  loath  to  proclaim  in  the  halls  of 
legislation  that  we  are  an  enlightened,  liberal,  and  improving  people; 
yet  the  British  Parliament  make  an  annual  appropriation  for  printing 
ancient  manuscript  records  and  documents  to  more  than  double  the 
amount  it  would  cost  to  procure  a  copy  of  all  the  American  colonial 
papers. 

Judge  William  Law  in  an  address  before  the  Georgia  His- 
torical Society,  February  12,  1840,  quoted  this  and  continued: 
"Yet  these  essentials  of  American  colonial  history  remain 
shut  up  in  the  office  of  the  board  of  trade  and  plantations 
in  England.  The  National  Library  at  Washington  is  repre- 
sented as  being  remarkablj^  deficient  in  books  and  informa- 
tion relating  to  America.  Copies  of  these  papers  deposited  in 
the  national  archives  would  constitute  an  invaluable  addition 
and  secure  the  necessary  materials  for  the  future  histor}-  of 
our  country."^ 

On  the  13th  of  January,  183 1,  the  Librar}^  Committee 
received  a  letter  from  S.  Converse,  esq.,  saying  that  it  was 
his  intention  to  visit  England  during  the  coming  summer  for 
the  purpose  of  selecting  from  the  records  of  the  Colonial 
Office,  etc.,  such  "interesting  matter  as  is  indispensable  to  a 
full  and  accurate  history  of  the  American  colonies."  On  the 
9th  of  February  the  committee  received  memorials  from  New 
Hampshire  and  from  the  Historical  Society  of  Rhode  Island 
relative  to  historical  documents  in  the  public  offices  of  Eng- 

^  North  American  Review  30:  3. 

» Collections  of  the  Georgia  Historical  Society  i :  6. 


3l6  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBPL\RY,   1852-1864. 

land.  On  the  25tli  of  January,  1832,  it  ^''Voied^  That  the 
chairman  of  the  Library  Committee  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives be  instructed  to  move  for  leave  in  the  House  to 
introduce  a  bill  for  the  appropriation  of  $2,000  to  be  used  in 
procuring  copies  from  the  plantation  records  in  Bn gland." 

Again,  on  the  14th  of  April,  1856,  the  matter  was  brought 
up  by  the  following  remarks  of  Mr.  Clayton  in  the  Senate : 

Mr.  President,  the  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations  have  received  a 
communication  from  the  Secretary  of  State,  transmitting  a  copy  of  a 
letter  of  H.  G.  Somerby,  esq.,  suggesting  the  importance  of  having  cop- 
ied, under  the  direction  of  this  Government,  the  manuscript  documents 
relating  to  our  country's  history  now  in  the  state  paper  ofRce  in  Lon- 
don. Mr.  Somerb}'  states  that  there  are  upward  of  2,000  folio  volumes 
of  manuscripts  in  the  archives  of  the  British  Government,  containing 
original,  yet  almost  unavailable,  materials,  in  the  history  of  the  found- 
ing and  progress  of  the  original  States  of  the  Union,  illustrating  almost 
every  possible  interest,  public  and  private,  during  our  dependence  on 
the  mother  countr}-;  that  they  show  the  origin,  character,  and  position 
of  the  individual  colonists;  the  ph^^sical,  moral,  and  religious  history  of 
the  founders  of  the  nation,  the  men  who  determined  its  character,  and 
whose  histor)'  is  that  of  the  nation;  the  periods  and  amounts  of  emigra- 
tion; the  products  of  the  country;  the  course  and  changes  of  trade;  the 
amount  and  increase  of  navigation  from  time  to  time;  the  revenue  laws 
and  their  operation;  that  they  throw  light  on  the  history  of  the  aborig- 
ines, and  the  mutual  relations  of  the  Indians  and  colonists;  that  thej'^ 
contain  copies,  and  in  many  instances  the  original  records,  of  the  legis- 
lative assemblies  of  the  colonies,  occasionally  supplying  a  hiatus  in  our 
own  records;  the  private  and  official  correspondence  of  the  royal  govern- 
ors and  subordinate  officers  of  the  Crown ;  the  reports  and  res  gestae  of 
cases  appealed  from  the  colonies  to  the  higher  judicial  tribunal  at  home; 
these  often  involve  the  titles  and  boundaries  of  large  tracts  of  territory, 
occasionally  of  towns,  counties,  or  even  colonies;  original  charts  and 
surveys;  that  though  these  documents  belong  to  the  English  Govern- 
ment, the}'  historically  belong  especially  to  our  own  country  and  Gov- 
ernment, and  historical  justice  and  good  faith  to  ourselves  manifestly 
require  that  copies  of  them  should  be  preserved  at  the  seat  of  the 
National  Government,  where  the  statistician,  the  historian,  and  the 
general  student  may  con.sult  them  at  the  smallest  possible  expense  of 
time  and  money;  that  of  a  large  proportion  of  these  papers  there  are  no 
duplicates,  and  the  originals  are  constantly  exposed  to  loss  and  destruc- 
tion by  accident  and  decay;  and  this  is  suggested  as  a  .sufficient  reason 
for  the  prompt  and  efficient  action  of  the  Government. 

Accompanying  this  communication  are  letters  from  Henry  Barnard, 
president  of  the  Connecticut  Historical  Society;  of  S.  F.  Streeter,  secre- 


TRANSCRIPTS   OF   COLONIAL    RFXORDS.  317 

tary  of  the  Maryland  Historical  Society,  and  of  Robert  C.  Wintlirop, 
late  a  distinguished  nieniber  of  this  body,  and  now,  I  believe,  president 
of  the  Historical  Society  of  Massachusetts,  and  from  other  gentlemen  of 
distinction,  recommending  strongly  the  sugg'estion  of  Mr.  Somerby. 

It  may  be  recollected  that  on  the  26th  of  Januarj^  1854,  Mr.  Everett, 
then  a  member  of  the  Senate,  presented  a  memorial  of  the  Massachusetts 
Historical  Society  praying  that  an  appropriation  be  made  to  defray  the 
expense  of  procuring  from  the  archives  of  the  British  Government,  and 
especially  from  the  state  paper  office  in  London,  copies  of  documents, 
records,  and  correspondence  pertaining  to  the  early  history  of  the  colo- 
nies and  of  the  United  States.  The  memorial  was  then  referred  to  the 
Committee  on  the  Library,  but  no  action  was  taken  by  the  Senate  in 
the  matter  during  that  session. 

Concurring  as  I  do  in  the  views  expressed  by  the  Historical  Society 
of  Massachusetts,  I  move,  by  authority  of  the  Committee  on  Foreign 
Relations,  that  this  memorial  be  withdrawn  from  the  files  of  the  Senate 
and  again  referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Library,  and  that  the  com- 
munication from  the  Secretary  of  State,  with  the  accompanying  corre- 
spondence, be  also  referred  to  the  same  committee." 

The  motion  was  agreed  to/  but  nothing  seems  to  have 
come  of  this  movement,  either. 

Finally,  however,  Henry  Stevens,  who  had  compiled  "An 
analytical  index  to  the  colonial  documents  of  New  Jersey  in 
the  state  paper  offices  of  Bngland"^  for  the  New  Jersey 
Historical  Society,  together  with  indexes  to  the  colonial 
records  of  Rhode  Island,  Maryland,  and  Virginia,  issued 
proposals  for  a  calendar  of  all  the  colonial  papers,  1497-1783, 
in  the  custody  of  the  Master  of  the  Rolls,  including  such 
other  important  papers  pertaining  to  the  British  colonies  as 
were  known  to  exist  in  the  British  Museum  and  other  libra- 
ries, public  and  private.     His  proposals  \vere  these: 

The  plan  of  arrangement  of  the  nine  volumes  of  calendars,  domestic 
series,  already  published,  will  in  general  be  followed,  but  with  .some 
modifications. 

Of  each  document  there  will  be  given  an  abstract  and  a  description. 
The  abstract  will  present,  in  as  conden.sed  a  manner  as  possible,  the  date, 
positive  or  assumed,  and  the  leading  points,  however  numerous,  of  each 
paper,  particular  attention  being  given  to  the  names  of  places  and  per- 
sons. The  description  will  convey  an  idea  of  the  length  of  each  docu- 
ment in  the  estimated  number  of  folios,  with  consequently  the  cost  of 

^Congressional  Cilobe,  39:  S94. 

=^  Collections  of  the  New  Jersey  Historical  Society,  vol.  5,  1S58. 


3lS  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

transcribing;  the  language,  if  other  than  EngHsh;  whether  holograph, 
original,  copy  early  or  late,  minute,  draft,  or  entry;  if  printed,  when 
and  where;  and,  if  deemed  important,  when  received,  when  read  in 
council  or  elsewhere,  and  how  disposed  of.  In  short,  such  information 
respecting  the  character  and  condition  of  each  paper  will  be  given,  con- 
sistent with  the  limits  of  the  work,  as  may  be  deemed  of  importance  to 
the  student  at  a  distance,  to  whom  access  to  the  papers  themselves  is 
difficult  or  impossible. 

It  is  proposed  to  have  but  one  index  to  the  entire  series,  but  much 
greater  prominence  will  be  given  to  it  than  heretofore.  As  every  topic 
of  each  paper  is  to  appear  in  the  abstracts,  so  they  will  all  reappear  in 
a  condensed  form  in  the  index,  with  a  precise  reference  not  only  to  the 
page,  but  to  the  number  of  the  abstract  in  the  page.  In  this  Vv-ay  it  is 
designed  that  there  shall  appear,  under  any  given  heading,  a  recapitula- 
tion of  ever}^  point  in  the  entire  series  on  that  subject. 

Notes,  biographical,  historical,  statistical,  genealogical,  and  literary 
will  be  given  when  thought  necessary,  including  references  to  original 
maps  and  portraits,  parish  registers,  university  records,  etc. 

A  specimeu  of  tlie  proposed  work  was  annexed.  This  was 
in  1859. 

In  the  following  year  the  first  volume  of  the  Calendar  of 
state  papers,  colonial  series,  edited  by  W.  Noel  Sainsbury, 
upon  the  same  plan  as  the  domestic  series,  was  published  by 
the  Master  of  the  Rolls;  and  on  the  12th  of  June  the  Library 
Committee  received  letters  from  Mr.  Sainsbury  in  relation  to 
an  extra  edition  of  that  part  of  the  calendar  relating  to  the 
American  colonies  and  offering  to  continue  the  calendar  from 
the  year  1688  to  the  year  1783.  But  it  voted  that  the  propo- 
sition of  Mr.  Sainsbury  be  not  accepted. 

The  matter  did  not  rest  there,  however,  for  on  the  21st  of 
June,  i860,  the  following  article  in  explanation  of  the  propo- 
sition, with  further  suggestions,  was  published  in  the  National 
In  telligencer: 

It  is  known  to  some  among  our  readers  that  a  series  of  works  is  now 
in  course  of  publication  by  authority  of  the  British  Government,  under 
the  general  name  and  title  of  ' '  Chronicles  and  memorials  of  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland  during  the  Middle  Ages. ' '  The  Master  of  the  Rolls,  early 
in  the  year  1857,  submitted  to  the  department  of  the  British  treasury  a 
proposal  for  the  publication  of  works  coming  within  this  category  and 
comprising  materials  for  the  illustration  of  the  history  of  Great  Britain 
from  the  invasion  by  the  Romans  to  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.  Of  this 
series  18  volumes  have  been  already  published,  and  copies  of  each  may 
be  foinid  in  the  Congressional  Library. 


TRANSCRIPTS   OF   COLONIAL   RECORDS.  319 

Another  enterprise  similar  in  design  with  this  and  pubHshed  by  the 
same  authority,  under  direction  in  hke  manner  of  the  Master  of  the 
Rolls,  relates  to  the  colonial  papers  found  in  the  state  paper  office  at 
London.  In  order  to  afford  a  knowledge  of  the  general  contents  and 
value  of  a  portion  of  these  documents  the  British  Government  has  made 
appropriation  for  the  publication  of  a  series  of  volumes  under  the  designa- 
tion of  ' '  Calendars  and  indexes  of  the  state  papers, ' '  down  to  the  year 
1688.  The  first  volume  of  this  series  is  now  in  course  of  publication,  if 
it  is  not  already  completed,  and  brings  down  the  record  of  these  colonial 
papers  from  the  j^ear  1574  to  1660.  The  papers  relating  to  the  period 
comprised  within  the  remaining  twenty-eight  years,  being  relatively  much 
more  numerous,  will,  it  is  calculated,  require  for  their  proper  description 
and  classification  4  additional  volumes. 

As  this  work  will  end  precisely  at  the  point  of  time  where  its  continu- 
ation might  be  made  specially  valuable  to  the  history  of  British  coloni- 
zation on  the  American  continent,  it  has  been  suggested  to  the  Joint 
Committee  on  the  Library  of  Congress  that  some  provision  should  be 
made  by  the  Government  of  the  United  States  for  the  further  prosecu- 
tion of  a  work  which  would  doubtless  shed  much  light  upon  the  found- 
ing and  planting  of  those  colonies  which  have  now  strengthened  and 
widened  into  the  United  States  of  America.  For  here  it  is  that  we  look 
for  the  very  incicnabula  gentis  nostrce. 

It  is  said  that  the  papers  relating  to  American  colonization,  as  now 
found  in  the  British  state  paper  office,  are  comprised  in  two  large  series 
of  documents,  termed  those  of  the  "Board  of  Trade,"  and  those  concern- 
ing "America  and  the  West  Indies,"  of  which  the  former,  detailing  the 
proceedings  of  the  body  in  question,  are  continuous  and  regular,  while 
the  latter  are  subdivided  into  several  minor  series,  according  to  the  order 
of  time  or  subject  in  which  they  were  differently  received  at  the  State 
Paper  Office,  or  as  they  accumulated  in  that  department  by  being  sepa- 
rated and  sorted  from  other  state  papers.  In  regard  to  the  nature  and 
quality  of  these  latter  documents,  we  may  add  that  they  consist  of  orig- 
inal letters  and  papers  from  governors  and  other  officers  of  the  different 
provinces. 

A  gentleman  connected  with  the  Briti.sh  state  paper  office,  Mr.  W. 
Noel  Sainsbury,  has  recently  desired  to  bring  the  question  of  publishing 
a  description  and  anal3'sis  of  the.se  documents  to  the  serious  consideration 
of  our  Government.  To  this  end,  we  understand,  he  has  addressed  a 
communication  on  the  subject  to  our  minister  at  London,  Mr.  Dallas,  as 
also  to  Mr.  Senator  Pearce,  chairman  of  the  Senate's  Committee  on  the 
Library.  He  gives  it  as  his  opinion  that  the  whole  series  of  papers 
comprised  within  the  period  extending  from  1689  to  1783  might  be 
appropriately  calendared  and  annotated  within  about  25  volumes  octavo, 
of  700  pages  each,  of  which  600  pages  would  be  devoted  to  the  calendar 
and  1 00  to  the  copious  index.  He  further  states  that  the  cost  of  print- 
ing each  volume  of  1,000  copies  would  be,  according  to  the  estimate  of 


320  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

the  Queen's  printer,  about  $1,500;  and  as  Mr.  Sainsbury  proposes  that 
the  compiler  should  receive  for  his  labor  of  research  and  digest  $1,250 
per  annum  during  a  period  of  twenty  years  (within  which  he  thinks  the 
whole  25  volumes  might  be  completed),  with  an  additional  compensation 
of  $5  for  every  sheet  (8  pages)  passed  through  the  press  under  his  crit- 
ical revision,  it  follows  that  an  annual  sum  of  $30,000  would,  according 
to  these  calculations,  be  required  to  insure  the  execution  of  the  work, 
which,  if  completed  within  the  time  and  in  the  manner  designated  by 
Mr.  Sainsburj',  would  cost  altogether  $600,000. 

This  amounts,  in  the  aggregate,  to  a  very  considerable  sum,  and  we 
learn  that  the  Joint  Committee  on  the  I^ibrary  declined  acceding  to  the 
proposals  made  on  these  terms  by  Mr.  Sainsbury,  who,  being  connected 
with  the  state  paper  office,  would  naturally  possess  superior  facilities 
and,  we  may  also  suppose,  superior  qualifications  for  the  due  perform- 
ance of  the  task. 

It  has  been  suggested,  however,  that  the  work  may  be  more  readily 
effected  through  another  agency  than  that  of  the  General  Government, 
if  only  the  necessary  co7icert  of  action  could  be  secured  on  the  part  of  the 
various  historical  societies  existing  in  the  several  States  of  the  Union. 
It  will  be  perceived  that,  if  each  volume  of  1,000  copies  could  be  dis- 
posed of  at  the  price  of  10  shillings  ($2.50)  per  copy,  the  sale  would 
realize  more  than  the  outlay  demanded  for  the  compilation  and  publica- 
tion. The  whole  series  of  25  volumes,  if  published  at  this  rate,  would 
amount  in  the  aggregate  to  $625,000,  or  $25,000  more  than  the  cost  of 
the  work  according  to  the  estimates  of  Mr.  Sainsburj-.  If,  then,  the 
historical  societies  of  twenty  of  our  States  would  severally  agree  to  take 
50  copies  of  each  volume  for  a  period  of  twenty  years,  they  might,  by 
an  annual  outlay  of  only  $125  for  each  society,  launch  this  great  work 
upon  "the  full  tide  of  successful  experiment." 

The  significance  and  value  of  such  an  enterprise  will,  we  hope,  secure 
for  it  the  early  consideration  of  those  associations  which  have  already 
done  and  are  still  doing  so  much  for  the  perpetuation  and  diffusion  of 
the  records  which  constitute  the  materials  of  American  history.  It  will 
not,  we  should  think,  be  found  difficult  to  devise  the  way  any  more  than 
to  raise  the  means  necessary  to  the  attainment  of  the  end  proposed;  and 
if  measures  could  be  efficiently  taken  by  any  one  society  for  advising  and 
consulting  with  the  various  affiliated  historical  societies  in  the  countr}^ 
we  presume  that  at  least  twenty  could  be  found  ready  to  further  a  move- 
ment so  promising  to  the  cause  which  they  all  have  at  heart.' 

This  interesting  article  was  the  subject  of  a  communication 
to  the  Historical  Magazine  for  October,  i860  (4:  314),  entitled 

^National  Intelligencer,  June  21,  i860.  Mr.  Sainsbury  requested  the  Massachu- 
setts historical  society  to  lend  its  influence  in  behalf  of  his  proposals. — Proceedings, 
Sept.  13,  1S60  (vol.  5,  p.  60). 


JEFFERSON   AND   HAMILTON   MSS.  32 1 

"A  great  historical  enterprise,"  but  beyond  this  it  seemed  to 
excite  no  attention. 

More  interest  was  shown  in  the  manuscripts  relating  to  our 
early  national  history.  On  the  30th  of  June,  1834,  $25,000 
was  appropriated  for  the  Washington  Papers ;  on  the  3d  of 
March,  1837,  $30)000  was  appropriated  for  the  Madison 
Papers,  and  on  the  12th  of  August,  1848,  $20,000  was  appro- 
priated for  the  Jefferson  Papers  and  a  like  sum  for  the  Ham- 
ilton Papers.  Neither  of  these  collections  was  at  that  time 
transferred  to  the  custody  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  which 
then  had  no  department  of  manuscripts.  We  need  therefore 
only  refer  to  the  documents  describing  them.' 

There  seems,  however,  to  have  been  some  idea  of  depositing 
the  Madison  MSS.  in  the  Library  of  Congress,  for  in  the 
report  upon  that  subject,  March  9,  1846,  the  committee  to 
whom  the  matter  had  been  referred  said:  "  It  is  deemed  useless 
to  raise  and  discuss  the  question  of  the  power  of  Congress  to 
make  such  a  purchase.  Congress  has  established  a  Library, 
and  has  procured  on  its  account  works  both  printed  and  in 
manuscript.  The  question  is  at  rest.  *  *  *  Congress 
by  the  purchase  and  publication  will  secure  for  the  Public 
Library,  and  thereby  for  the  benefit  and  information  of  the 
whole  Union,  the  valuable  writings  of  one  of  its  most  useful, 
virtuous,  and  distinguished  statesmen." 

The  debate  in  the  House  of  Representatives  July  11,  1848, 
on  the  purchase  of  the  Jefferson  and  Hamilton  MSS.  is  also 
of  permanent  significance,  as  showing  the  intention  of  Con- 
gress, at  first,  to  place  these  manuscripts  in  its  own  Library 
and  as  indicating  the  policy  of  the  Government  at  that  time 
in  the  matter  of  national  records.     It  was  as  follows: 

Mr.  Goggin  moved  to  add  an  item  to  those  for  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress to  appropriate  $20,000  for  the  purchase  of  the  manuscript  papers 
of  the  late  President  Jefferson. 

'Twenty-third  Congress,  first  session,  House  report  No.  381,  April  i,  1834,  relates 
to  the  Washington  Papers;  Twenty-ninth  Congress,  first  session.  House  report  No. 
410,  March  9,  1846,  relates  to  the  Madison  Papers;  Twenty-ninth  Congress,  second 
session.  House  report  No.  39,  January  20,  1847,  Thirtieth  Congress,  first  session. 
House  Miscellaneous  Documents,  No.  7,  December  30,  1847,  and  Thirtieth  Congress, 
first  session.  Senate  report  No.  167,  June  8,  1848,  relate  to  the  Jefferson  Papers,  and 
Twenty-ninth  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  documents  No.  52,  January  12,  1846, 
relates  to  the  Hamilton  Papers. 
23399—04 21 


322  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

Mr.  G.  W.  Jones  interposed,  and  inquired  if  the  motion  was  in  order, 
there  being  no  law  authorizing  the  appropriation.  He  based  his  objec- 
tion on  the  eight3^-first  rule,  which  provides  that  "  no  appropriation  shall 
be  reported  in  such  general  appropriation  bills,  or  be  in  order  as  an 
amendment  thereto,  for  any  expenditure  not  previously  authorized  by 
law. ' ' 

Mr.  Goggin  said  it  was  an  amendment  relating  to  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress, for  which  it  proposed  a  purchase  of  books,  and  it  was  therefore  in 
order. 

The  Chairman  said  the  amendment  was  in  order. 

Mr.  Jones  submitted  that  there  was  no  law  authorizing  the  purchase 
of  these  papers,  and  therefore  it  was  not  in  order  to  introduce  an  item  in 
the  general  appropriation  bill  to  pay  for  them. 

The  Chairman  said  that  the  item  was  proposed  for  the  purchase  of 
books  for  the  Library,  which  was  now  in  existence;  and  *he  rule  from 
which  the  gentleman  from  Tennessee  had  quoted  gave  authority  to  make 
appropriations  ' '  in  continuation  of  appropriations  for  such  public  works 
and  objects  as  are  already  in  progress."  He  held  the  amendment  to  be 
in  order. 

Mr.  Goggin  said  he  did  not  want  to  discuss  the  amendment  at  all, 
but  simply  to  remark  that  a  memorial  had  been  presented  to  this  House, 
and  it  had  been  referred  to  the  Library  Committee,  thus  bringing  the 
subject  under  consideration,  and  hence  he  had  been  induced  to  offer  this 
amendment.  The  object  was  to  make  an  appropriation  to  purchase 
manuscripts  which  were  said  to  be  very  valuable  and  of  which  he  had 
some  proof  if  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  produce  it.  He  referred  to  two 
letters  which  he  held  in  his  hand  from  two  gentlemen  who  belong  to  the 
two  political  parties  of  the  country  (Mr.  Van  Buren  and  Mr.  W.  C.  Rives) . 
The  author  of  these  papers  belonged  to  the  Democratic  party,  but  he 
nevertheless  desired  that  those  papers  should  be  published,  for  he  believed 
they  were  very  valuable  papers,  many  of  a  character  which  showed  that 
they  belonged  to  the  country,  and  he  hoped  they  would  share  the  fate 
of  others  which  this  House  had  heretofore  purchased.  He  would  not 
detain  the  House  with  a  speech  on  the  subject,  but  refer  the  gentlemen 
to  a  report  which  was  made  during  the  last  Congress  by  the  gentleman 
opposite  (Mr.  Brodhead)  on  this  very  subject. 

Mr.  Palfrey  moved,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  an  opportunity  to 
make  a  few  remarks,  to  amend  the  amendment,  by  adding  |;2o,ooo  for 
the  purchase  of  the  papers  of  Alexander  Hamilton.  The  subject  had 
come  upon  him  very  unexpectedly,  but  as  allusion  had  been  made  to 
the  views  of  the  Library  Committee,  though  he  was  not  authorized  to 
speak  for  that  committee,  as  no  other  member  of  the  Library  Committee 
was  present  he  would  say  a  word  or  two  expressive  of  his  own  views  upon 
the  subject.  He  was  not  aware  that  the  Library  Committee  had  ever 
had  the  subject  under  consideration.     If  they  had,  it  was  at  a  time  when 


JEFFERSON   AND    HAMILTON   MSS.  323 

he  was  absent;  but  if  he  was  to  express  his  opinion  of  this  set  of  manu- 
scripts he  should  say  that  he  deeply  regretted  that  their  purchase  had 
not  been  earlier  ordered,  so  that  the  writings  of  Mr.  Jefferson  could  have 
been  given  to  the  world  under  the  responsibility  of  the  nation  and  not 
under  such  auspices  as  those  under  which  a  part  of  Mr.  Jefferson's 
papers  had  been  published.  They  should  all  be  published  in  a  manner 
that  would  be  creditable  to  the  fame  of  that  great  man  and  of  this  nation. 

The  Chairman  reminded  the  gentleman  from  Massachusetts  that  five 
minutes  were  allowed  to  him  to  explain  his  amendment,  to  which  he 
must  confine  himself. 

Mr.  Palfrey  submitted  that  in  order  to  make  his  own  amendment  sat- 
isfactory it  was  proper  that  he  should  make  some  remarks  on  the  subject 
contemplated  by  the  amendment  which  he  proposed  to  amend.  How- 
ever, the  remarks  which  he  desired  to  make  applied  equally  to  the  papers 
of  Mr.  Jefferson  and  Mr.  Hamilton.  What  he  had  to  say  was  true  of 
both,  and  therefore  when  he  spoke  of  Mr.  Hamilton  he  hoped  the  com- 
mittee would  understand  him  as  speaking  likewise  of  Mr.  Jefferson.  The 
papers  which  yet  remained  in  manuscript,  both  of  Mr.  Hamilton  and  Mr. 
Jefferson,  he  understood  were  very  voluminous;  they  were  intimately 
connected  with  the  history  of  the  country  through  a  long  series  of  years; 
nothing  could  be  more  important  than  these  writings  were  to  our  historj^, 
and  it  was  in  the  highest  degree  material  that  these  papers  should  be 
rescued  from  the  possession  of  anybody  where  they  would  be  exposed  to 
any  chance  or  accident,  and  placed  in  the  possession  of  this  country  and 
of  the  world  through  a  channel  such  as  this  nation  could  approve.  He 
felt  confident  that  the  Library  Committee  entertained  these  opinions  in 
common  with  himself. 

Mr.  Nicoll  inquired  if  these  matters  had  ever  been  referred  to  any 
committee  of  this  House.     If  so,  he  would  like  to  have  the  report  read. 

The  Chairman  reminded  the  gentleman  from  New  York  that  this  was 
not  a  debatable  question  under  the  order  of  the  House.  The  Chairman 
had  not  the  information  required  by  the  gentleman  from  New  York. 

Mr.  Nicoll  supposed  the  information  could  be  obtained  at  the  Clerk's 
desk. 

The  Chairman  said,  doubtless;  and  the  gentleman  from  New  York 
could  obtain  it  there  and  relieve  the  Chair  from  further  responsibility. 

Mr.  Bowlin  said  it  was  proper  that  the  point  should  be  settled  whether 
these  amendments  were  in  order  under  the  eighty-first  rule  of  this  House. 
The  Chair,  on  the  question  being  raised  by  the  gentleman  from  Ten- 
nessee (Mr.  Jones),  decided  that  they  were  in  order,  and  he  now  again 
raised  the  question  for  the  purpose  of  taking  an  appeal  from  the  decision 
of  the  Chair. 

Tellers  w^ere  demanded  on  the  appeal,  and  Messrs.  Venable  and  Pollock 
were  appointed,  and  they  reported  66  in  the  affirmative  and  51  in  the 
negative.  The  decision  of  the  Chair  was  therefore  sustained  as  the  judg- 
ment of  the  committee. 


324  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

The  question  then  recurred  on  the  amendment  of  the  gentleman  from 
Massachusetts  (Mr.  Palfrey)  to  the  amendment  of  Mr.  Goggin,  and  it 
was  adopted  by  a  majoritj'  of  63  to  55. 

The  question  recurred  on  the  amendment  as  amended. 

Mr.  Venable  made  a  pro  forma  motion,  that  he  might  express  his 
uncompromising  opposition  to  this  whole  matter,  from  beginning  to  end. 
He  believed  it  was  the  introduction  of  a  sj'stem  which  involved  an  incal- 
culable amount  of  money.  He  would  vote  for  the  purchase  of  the  manu- 
scripts of  Thomas  Jefferson  and  Alexander  Hamilton  as  soon  as  for 
those  of  anybody;  but  if  this  course  was  to  be  pursued,  it  would  not  be 
many  years  before  the  hundred  volumes  of  Mr.  J.  Q.  Adams's  journal 
and  writings  and  perhaps  the  papers  of  ex-President  Tyler  would  be 
purchased. 

Mr.  Palfrey  with  some  warmth  denied  that  the  House  would  ever  be 
asked  to  purchase  the  papers  of  Mr.  Adams. 

Mr.  Venable  said  they  should  have  been  told  the  same  thing  about 
these  Jefferson  and  Hamilton  papers  ten  years  ago.  He  was  opposed  to 
the  whole  system,  as  one  which  would  inevitably  be  attended  with  mis- 
chievous results.  As  to  the  purchase  of  Mr.  Adams's  papers,  he  hoped 
the  question  never  would  be  tested.  When  papers  were  valuable,  they 
would  most  assuredly  come  to  the  light.  If  he  had  been  present  when 
the  Madison  papers  were  purchased,  he  should  have  voted  against  that 
motion  for  the  same  reason  that  influenced  him  to  vote  against  this. 
The  whole  was  wrong  in  principle. 

Mr.  Miller  also  made  a  pro  forma  motion.  He  was  opposed  to  the 
amendment,  and  he  was  opposed  to  the  manner  in  which  it  was  urged 
on  the  attention  of  the  committee.  The  gentleman  from  Virginia,  in 
offering  his  amendment  for  the  purchase  of  the  papers  of  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son, addressed  himself  to  the  members  on  the  Democratic  side  of  the 
House,  and  the  gentleman  from  Massachusetts  made  a  motion  which 
commended  itself  to  the  gentlemen  on  the  other  side  of  the  House;  and 
by  these  means  both  sides  of  the  House  were  appealed  to,  these  two  gen- 
tlemen— Jefferson  and  Hamilton — being  the  founders  of  the  two  great 
parties  which  now  divide  this  country.  As  these  questions  were  pre- 
sented to  the  committee  in  such  a  manner,  it  was  apparent  that  the 
gentlemen  who  made  the  motions  were  satisfied  that  they  could  not  be 
sustained  by  argument,  and  hence  they  appealed  to  the  prejudices  of 
both  sides  of  the  House.  Now,  he  was  opposed  to  this  system.  He 
was  opposed  to  the  purchase  of  the  papers  of  Mr.  Madison,  and  he 
should  be  equally  opposed  to  the  purchase  of  the  papers  of  anybody  else, 
even  of  the  illustrious  Jefferson.  He  would  give  no  vote  for  any  such 
purpose,  for  the  whole  system  was  wrong.  If  any  writings  were  valua- 
ble and  worthy  of  publication,  they  would  present  inducements  for  their 
publication  without  the  interference  of  the  Government.  By  private 
enterprise  they  would  come  to  light,  and  hence  no  justification  could  be 


JEFFERSON   AND   HAMILTON   MSS.  325 

furnished  for  such  an  extravagant  waste  of  the  pubhc  money.  He 
might  here  remark  that  all  the  papers  of  Mr.  Jefferson  which  were 
deemed  valuable  had  been  published  already.  What  evidence  was  there 
before  the  committee  that  these  papers  were  of  the  value  which  was 
placed  on  them  by  the  movers  of  these  amendments,  and  which  the  com- 
mittee was  called  upon  to  vote  ?  He  did  not  even  know  what  these 
papers  were.  It  might  be  that  the  papers  of  Alexander  Hamilton  advo- 
cated a  policy  which  had  been  repudiated  by  this  Government  from  its 
foundation  to  the  present  moment.  What,  he  asked,  was  their  object? 
He  was  unwilling  that  the  committee  should  be  brought  to  sanction  the 
purchase  of  papers  until  they  knew  what  it  was  they  were  called  upon 
to  publish.  Who  had  given  them  that  information?  The  chairman  of 
the  committee  said  that  he  did  not  even  know  that  they  had  been  before 
the  Library  Committee.  Did  any  of  them  know?  And  yet  they  were 
asked  to  appropriate  $20,000  for  each  of  two  sets  of  papers  of  which  they 
knew  nothing.  He  thought  it  was  a  matter  of  some  importance,  and, 
especially  as  the  case  of  Mrs.  Madison  had  been  quoted,  it  was  time  that 
this  system  should  be  arrested;  but  if  it  was  to  be  adopted  and  carried 
out,  he  hoped  that  when  it  was  carried  to  the  House  that  the  record 
would  be  made  to  show  who  it  was  that  advocated  the  system. 

Mr.  Clarke,  having  made  Vl  pro  forma  motion,  said  he  took  occasion  to 
object  to  the  appropriation  of  $25,000  for  the  purchase  of  the  Madison 
papers,  and  he  then  argued  that  that  appropriation  was  designed  and 
intended  to  fasten  and  rivet  on  the  country  an  enormous  pension  list; 
that  it  would  furnish  a  precedent  for  all  time  to  come  which,  if  it  would 
not  be  dangerous  to  the  well-being  of  the  country,  would  be  disastrous 
to  its  finances. 

There  were  various  reasons  why  they  should  not  tolerate  the  amend- 
ment which  had  been  proposed.  They  had  heard  yesterda>-  from  the 
other  side  of  the  House — and  not  yesterday  only,  but  on  all  occasions 
when  those  gentlemen  obtained  the  floor — that,  by  the  prosecution  of  the 
Mexican  war,  and  by  other  Democratic  measures  and  policy,  the)^  had 
involved  the  country  in  a  debt  which  would  put  the  face  of  the  people 
of  this  nation  to  the  grindstone  for  years  to  come.  And  yet,  in  the  face 
of  these  charges  and  statements,  which  were  designed  to  have  an  effect 
on  the  approaching  elections — statements  and  charges  made,  in  many 
instances,  by  a  direct  suppression  of  the  truth — there  was  not  a  solitary 
proposition  in  our  whole  legislation  where  an  attempt  was  made  to 
appropriate  the  public  money  which  had  not  met  the  approbation  of  the 
gentlemen  on  the  other  side  of  the  House.  All  propositions  for  wild 
and  extravagant  expenditures  have  invariably  been  sustained  and  voted 
for  by  the  gentlemen  on  the  other  side  of  the  House.  And  yet  the 
charge  was  to  go  to  the  country  that  the  Democratic  party  here  was  in 
favor  of  squandering  the  public  mone}',  and  comparisons  were  instituted 
between  the  expense  of  this  and  former  Administrations  for  the  purpose 


0 


26  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1 85  2-1 864. 


of  fixing  on  the  Democratic  party  the  charge  of  extravagance.  And,  in 
bringing  this  House  into  disrepute,  and  in  casting  reproach  on  the 
President,  language  was  used  which  was  only  fit  for  a  fish  market;  cer- 
tainly not  adapted  to  the  halls  of  legislation.   ' 

The  Chairman  reminded  the  gentleman  that  he  must  confine  himself 
to  his  amendment. 

Mr.  Clarke  then  proceeded  to  protest  against  the  amendment  as  a 
dangerous  precedent. 

Mr.  C.  J.  Ingersoll  rose  and  moved  to  reduce  the  two  sums  of  $20,000 
to  $5,000  each. 

Mr.  Sawyer  rose  to  a  question  of  order.  He  said  it  was  not  in  order 
to  move  an  amendment  solely  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  five  minutes' 
speech. 

The  Chairman  decided  that  the  gentleman  from  Pennsylvania  was  in 
order. 

Mr.  Ingersoll  said  that  he  should  vote  in  favor  of  the  amendment. 
As  to  establishing  a  system  of  literary  pensioning,  if  gentlemen  could 
produce  any  number  of  such  men  as  Thomas  Jefferson  and  Alexander 
Hamilton,  he,  for  one,  was  ready  to  pension  them  all;  but  he  greatly 
feared  that  such  men  would  continue  to  be  very  rare.  There  was  very 
little  danger,  indeed,  that  the  pension  roll  of  men  like  these  would  be 
ruinously  extended.  As  to  Jefferson,  we  knew,  from  such  of  his  writ- 
ings as  were  already  in  print,  what  it  was  we  expect  to  get  should  the 
resolution  be  adopted.  After  all  his  public  situations  and  advantages, 
Mr.  Jefferson  died  $50,000  in  debt,  and  two  of  his  granddaughters  were 
for  many  years  keeping  a  school,  out  of  the  proceeds  of  which  they  had 
paid  $15,000  of  it;  and  he  had  been  told  that  they  were  still  employed  in 
the  same  way.  And,  in  regard  to  Alexander  Hamilton,  the  act  of  1789 
establishing  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States  was  a  monument  of  his 
public  character  such  as  he  had  been  assured  by  Albert  Gallatin  and 
Alexander  Dallas  and  Richard  Rush  and  Robert  J.  Walker  and  other 
men  competent  to  judge  was  not  to  be  found  in  England,  nor  in  France, 
nor  in  the  government  of  any  other  country  in  the  world.  For  his  part, 
Mr.  I.  was  quite  ready  to  take  all  the  responsibility  of  voting  not  only 
this  $20,000  but  a  much  larger  sum. 

Mr.  Goggin  said  he  had  letters  before  him  from  William  C.  Rives  and 
Martin  Van  Buren  in  favor  of  the  purchase,  and  these,  on  such  a  subject, 
were  good  authority. 

Mr.  Houston,  of  Alabama,  said  that  neither  of  them  was  good 
authority. 

The  question  was  then  put  and  decided  in  the  affirmative — ayes,  60; 
noes,  58.' 

The  debate  over  the  purchase  of  the  manuscript  of  Wash- 
ington's Farewell  address  is  also  instructive.     On  the  24tli 

^Congressional  Globe,  18:  919-920. 


MS.  OF  WASHINGTON'S   FAREWELL  ADDRESS.  327 

of  Januar}',  1850,  Henry  Clay  presented  in  the  Senate  the 
following  resolution:  ''''Resolved^  That  the  Joint  Committee 
on  the  Librar}'  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives 
be  authorized  and  directed  to  purchase  the  manuscript  of  the 
Farewell  address  to  the  people  of  the  United  States  of  George 
Washington,  if  the  purchase  can  be  effected  on  just  and  fair 
terms  in  the  opinion  of  the  committee." 
The  ensuing  debate  then  took  place: 

Mr.  Clay.  Mr.  President,  I  intended  that  that  resolution  should  be  a 
joint  one,  and  I  believe  that  the  Secretary  has  given  it  that  form  at  my 
instance. 

Sir,  I  did  not  wish  to  trouble  the  Senate  in  presenting  this  resolution, 
I  was  anxious  to  accomplish  the  object  it  proposes  without  the  formality 
of  the  passage  of  a  resolution  by  Congress,  and  I  addressed  myself  to  the 
Joint  Committee  on  the  Librarj'  in  consequence  of  a  wish  to  avoid  the 
passage  of  ni}-  resolution.  The  committee  took  the  subject  into  their 
consideration,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that,  as  they  had  never  hereto- 
fore applied  the  funds  intrusted  to  them  to  the  purchase  of  manuscripts 
without  the  sanction  of  Congress,  they  could  not  venture  on  any  expend- 
iture for  the  purchasing  of  this  manuscript  without  some  other  authority 
than  that  which  they  now  possessed.  This  repl}^  led  me  to  the  presen- 
tation of  this  resolution.  If  the  object  which  it  contemplates  could  have 
been  accomplished  without  presenting  it  here,  I  would  not  have  taken 
up  one  moment  of  the  precious  time  of  the  Senate. 

I  will  now  state  some  of  the  motives  which  led  me  to  the  presentation 
of  this  resolution. 

It  is  about  fift5'-three  years  ago  since  General  Washington,  the  Father 
of  his  Country  by  universal  consent,  addressed  to  the  people  of  the 
United  States  the  document  described  in  that  resolution.  At  the  time 
of  the  preparation  of  it  there  was  a  paper  which,  those  who  are  conver- 
sant with  the  history  of  the  country  at  the  time  will  recollect,  was 
published  at  Philadelphia  hy  an  extremely  respectable  and  intelligent 
gentleman,  Mr.  Claypoole,  called  the  Daily  Advertiser.  General  Wash- 
ington selected  that  paper  for  the  publication  of  his  Farewell  address; 
and,  after  it  was  committed  to  print,  Mr.  Claypoole  proposed  to  return 
the  original  document  to  General  Washington  and  waited  upon  him  for 
that  purpose;  but  being  extremely  desirous  to  possess  it  he  expressed 
his  wish  that,  if  the  General  did  not  wish  it  himself,  he  would  like  to 
retain  it  as  a  memorial.  General  Washington  assented  to  the  request, 
and  the  paper  from  that  day  to  this  has  been  in  the  hands  either  of  Mr. 
Claypoole  or  some  of  his  descendants. 

But  I  was  struck  by  an  advertisement  which  I  saw  some  short  time 
ago,  published  in  one  of  the  papers  of  Philadelphia,  to  this  effect: 


328  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

"The  original  manuscript  of  General  Washington's  valedictory- 
address  to  the  United  States  will  be  sold  on  Tuesday,  February'  12, 
1850,  at  6^  o'clock.  The  paper,  in  the  handwriting  and  bearing  the 
signature  of  General  Washington,  was  presented  by  him  to  Mr.  Clay- 
poole,  the  then  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Daily  Advertiser ,  the  paper 
which  General  Washington  had  selected  for  its  publication.  The  sale 
will  be  peremptory. ' ' 

Well,  sir,  when  I  read  that  advertisement  I  said  to  myself,  "  What  is 
to  become  of  that  precious  document?  Is  it  to  be  sold,  to  be  perhaps 
transferred  out  of  the  country  and  made  the  ornament  of  the  parlor  of 
some  of  the  distinguished  men  of  Europe — men  of  rank  or  title  or  liter- 
ary fame — or  shall  it  remain  here?"  Sir,  I  could  not  for  a  moment 
hesitate  as  to  the  promptings  of  my  heart.  I  said,  "Here — here  in 
this  Capitol,  in  the  Library  of  this  nation — ought  this  document  to  be 
deposited."     *     *     * 

Mr.  Pearce.  I  suggest  to  the  gentleman  from  Kentucky  that  the 
resolution  is  scarcely  complete  without  a  clause  for  an  appropriation 
proper  to  provide  the  Joint  Committee  on  the  Library  with  the  means  of 
paying  for  this  manuscript. 

Mr.  Clay.  I  do  not  think  there  can  be  any  difficulty  on  that  subject. 
It  can  be  provided  for  when  the  appropriation  bill  comes  in. 

Mr.  King.  I  rise  to  ask  the  Senator  from  Maryland  (Mr.  Pearce),  as 
a  member  of  the  Joint  Librar)'  Committee,  a  question.  Is  it  not  entirely 
in  the  province  of  the  Joint  Committee  to  purchase  such  papers,  if  they 
think  proper,  without  a  resolution  of  this  kind  on  the  part  of  Congress? 

Mr.  Pearce.  We  thought  not.  The  Library  fund  we  believed  to  be 
appropriated  for  the  purchase  of  books,  and  not  of  manuscripts  valuable 
merely  as  relics. 

Mr.  King.  I  was  under  the  impression — and  certainly  this  is  the  first 
time  that  anything  has  occurred  to  induce  a  change  in  the  opinion  which 
I  have  always  entertained — that  the  Library  Committee  had  the  power 
to  purchase  either  printed  or  manuscript  works.  I  think  I  know 
instances  since  I  have  been  here  where  the  Library  Committee  have 
purchased  manuscript  books. 

Mr.  Pearce.  The  Librar}-  Committee  do  not  think  that  the)^  are 
authorized  to  purchase  manuscripts  which  are  valuable  as  relics  merely. 
Certainly  they  may  purchase  a  manuscript  work,  but  they  would  only 
make  such  purchase  when  the  work  could  not  be  procured  in  print. 
They  think  they  would  misapply  the  appropriation  for  the  increase  of 
the  Library  by  purchasing  any  relic,  whether  of  manuscript  or  of  another 
kind.  The  appropriation  for  the  increase  of  the  Library  would  place 
very  few  volumes  on  our  shelves  if  it  were  diverted  from  its  legitimate 
purpose  to  the  purchase  of  interesting  and  valuable  relics.  Even  if  the 
committee  had  the  authority  they  would  prefer  not  to  exercise  it 
without  the  instruction  of  Congress. 


MS.  OF  Washington's  farewell  address.        329 

Mr.  King.  I  would  suggest  an  alteration  in  the  resolution  to  the 
Senator  from  Kentucky.  It  is  that  the  committee  should  be  ' '  author- 
ized," and  not  "  directed"  to  purchase  the  manuscript,  provided  it  can 
be  purchased  on  fair  terms.  I  move  to  strike  out  the  word  ' '  directed ' ' 
and  insert  in  lieu  thereof  the  word  "  authorized." 

Mr.  Clay.  I  have  no  sort  of  objection  to  strike  out  the  word 
"directed,"  but  if  the  Senator  from  Alabama  will  attend,  the  latter 
part  of  the  resolution  expressly  provides  for  the  contingency  of  the 
manuscript  being  purchased  on  what,  in  the  opinion  of  the  committee, 
shall  be  fair  and  reasonable  terms.  But  I  have  no  objection  to  the 
amendment. 

The  motion  to  strike  out  the  word  ' '  directed ' '  and  to  insert  in  lieu 
thereof  the  word  "authorized"  was  agreed  to. 

The  joint  resolution  as  amended  was  then  reported  to  the  Senate. 

The  Vice-President  announced  the  question  to  be  on  ordering  the 
resolution  to  be  engrossed  for  a  third  reading.     *     *     H^ 

Mr.  Davis  of  Mississippi.  If  the  vote  is  about  to  be  taken  on  this 
resolution,  I  shall  have  to  submit  a  few  remarks.  I  made  the  motion 
to  pass  it  by  informally,  in  order  that  the  special  order,  now  delayed  for 
half  an  hour,  might  be  considered. 

The  amendment  which  was  proposed  by  the  Senator  from  Alabama 
[Mr.  King]  removes  part  of  the  objections  which  I  had  to  the  resolu- 
tion as  it  was  originally  drawn.  It  is  not  now  mandatory  in  its  terms; 
still  it  conveys  authority,  and  construed  in  connection  with  such  expres- 
sion as  wiU,  probably,  be  given  by  the  Senate,  it  does,  after  all,  amount 
to  nearly  a  mandate;  it  approaches  very  nearly  to  instructions  to  the 
committee.  It  becomes  us  at  the  present  stage  of  our  proceedings  in 
reference  to  such  matters  to  ascertain  where  we  are  to  stop  before  we 
take  the  first  step;  before  following  this  path  to  inquire  whither  it  will 
lead  us.  We  have  purchased  the  manuscripts  of  Washington;  everj-- 
thing,  even  to  the  copy  book  which  he  kept  when  a  boy.  This  is  but 
a  corrected  copy  of  his  Farewell  address,  known  not  to  have  been 
entirely  the  result  of  his  own  mind;  and  if  what  we  desire  is  merely' 
manuscripts  of  Washington,  we  have  enough  of  them  to  satisfy  more 
than  moderate  desire.  The  value  of  the  Farewell  address  is  twofold: 
First,  for  the  opinions  contained  in  it,  and  next,  the  authority  from 
which  they  are  derived.  I  am  of  opinion  that  no  benefit  can  result  to 
the  country  or  to  the  people  generally  from  the  owning  of  these  sheets 
of  manuscript.  No  one  scarcely  will  be  allowed  to  read  it,  for  it  will 
have  to  be  locked  up  securely  where  it  can  not  be  touched,  because  if 
handled  it  will  soon  be  worn  out.  It  will  therefore  merely  gratify 
that  feeling  to  which  the  Senator  from  Kentucky  [Mr.  Clay]  has  so 
eloquently  alluded,  and  to  which  undoubtedly  every  heart  will  respond, 
that  feeling  which  endears  everything  pertaining  to  the  beloved  or  ven- 
erated dead.  But  are  we,  the  representatives  of  the  people,  justified  in 
making  appropriations   from  the  Treasury  to  gratify  our  sentiments? 


330  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

Certainly  not.  We  should  regard  no  such  feelings,  but  should  act  as 
practical  men.  We  should  become  as  nearly  as  possible  an  abstraction, 
to  use  the  expression  of  the  gentleman  from  Kentuck}^  as  far  as  may 
be — divest  ourselves  of  all  feeling  in  legislation. 

If  we  are  to  indulge  the  desire  to  possess  all  objects  associated  with 
the  "Father  of  his  Country,"  we  shall  have  to  purchase  the  walking 
canes  he  used,  the  medals  and  other  personal  articles  identified  with  him 
by  possession.  His  residence,  the  battlefields  he  illustrated,  the  routes 
of  his  marches  through  the  old  thirteen  States,  over  which  he  shed 
unfading  glory — all,  all  are  closely  associated  with  his  memory.  Shall 
the)^  be  purchased,  too,  and  held  as  the  property  of  the  Government? 
But  what  is  there  so  sacred  in  the  manuscript  of  this  address?  It  is 
known  to  have  been  the  joint  production  of  Washington  and  one,  at 
least,  of  his  Cabinet — not  the  emanation  of  his  mind  alone.  I  feel  no 
such  respect  as  has  here  been  expressed  for  it,  and  can  not  see  how  this 
manuscript  is  to  effect  such  happy  results.  Anyone  can  have  a  printed 
copy,  and  read  it,  who  desires.  There  is  nothing  to  be  gained  by  the 
purchase  of  this  manuscript  any  more  than  there  would  be  in  the  pur- 
chase of  a  walking  stick  which  Washington  used.  I  must  be  pardoned 
for  a  want  of  veneration  for  relics,  or  for  symbols  of  faith  in  the  faith- 
ful; nay,  more,  for  saying  that  a  devotion  to  men  which  extends  to  the 
inanimate  objects  connected  with  them  is  an  extreme  unworthy  of  our 
people.  We  are  utilitarians,  and  it  is  not  in  keeping  with  that  character 
to  be  led  away  by  sentiment. 

I  have  no  objection  that  the  resolution  should  go  to  the  committee,  as 
a  mere  authority  further  to  inquire  whether  it  would  be  well  to  purchase 
this  manuscript.  The  rough  sketch  of  this  address,  connected  with  the 
work  of  others,  and  showing  what  was  his  own,  would  be  far  more 
valuable  to  us  than  this,  the  form  to  which  it  was  modified  and  extended, 
and  is  the  same  as  every  printed  copy.  I  believe  we  have  the  first  sketch 
of  the  address,  and  perhaps  a  copy  of  it  in  the  form  in  which  it  was 
printed,  purchased  among  the  Washington  MSS.  This  and  other 
questions  the  committee  will  have  for  inquiry,  if  left  to  their  discretion. 

Mr.  Borland.  Mr,  President,  I  will  yield  to  none  in  my  veneration 
and  respect  for  the  services  of  Washington,  and  I  agree  with  the  Senator 
from  Mississippi  [Mr.  Foote]  that  if  the  objects  proposed  by  this  resolu- 
tion, so  eloquently  spoken  of  by  the  Senator  from  Kentucky,  could  be 
accomplished,  I  should  be  willing  to  vote  not  only  the  price  required  for 
the  manuscript  but  millions  besides.  But  it  seems  to  me  the  main 
object  to  be  accomplished  by  the  passage  of  this  resolution  is  to  reiterate 
what  I  have  seen  session  after  session,  and  what  I  think  is  disgraceful 
to  many  citizens  of  this  country — that  is,  the  disposition  to  speculate 
upon  the  patriotism  of  the  country,  and  to  bring  here  and  hawk  about 
at  the  door  of  this  Capitol,  and  offer  to  the  Senate  or  the  House  of 
Representatives,  the  relics  of  the  patriots  who  achieved  our  independ- 


MS.  OF  WASHINGTON'S   FAREWELL  ADDRESS.  33 1 

ence.  And,  in  passing  this  resolution,  I  consider  that  the  only  tangible 
object  we  will  accomplish  by  it  will  be  to  put  money  in  the  pockets  of 
various  speculators  who,  under  color  of  professions  of  patriotism,  come 
here  and  ask  the  Senate  to  purchase  these  relics.  Perhaps  the  very 
persons  who  have  this  manuscript  for  sale  received  it  as  a  donation  or 
purchased  it  for  a  small  amount,  and  now  come  here  as  speculators  upon 
our  patriotism  and  ask  a  pecuniary  compensation  for  it. 

Mr.  Clay.  A  single  word.  The  Senator  from  Arkansas  [Mr. 
Borland]  is  laboring  under  a  total  misconception  in  regard  to  this 
matter.  The  proprietors  of  this  paper  have  not  come  here;  it  is  not  at 
their  instance;  not  one  single  word  has  come  from  them  to  me,  or  from 
any  friends  of  theirs.  Nor  is  the  paper  havv-ked  about  the  Capitol,  as 
the  Senator  seems  to  suppose,  and  offered  for  sale  with  a  view  to  specu- 
lation or  the  acquisition  of  a  large  sum  of  monej';  no  such  thing.  The 
representatives  of  the  respectable  Mr.  Claypoole  have  not  moved  in  the 
affair  at  all.  It  is  my  own  motion,  and  if  there  is  any  responsibility  in 
regard  to  it  I  bear  it,  and  not  them.  But  I  do  not  wish  to  detain  the 
Senate  for  a  moment,  especially  as  the  Senator  from  South  Carolina 
[Mr.  Butler]  ought  to  have  been  heard  before  this  time. 

Mr.  Borland.  My  remarks  were  not  particularly  applied  to  the  indi- 
viduals offering  this  manuscript  for  sale.  I  think  the  Senator  from 
Kentucky  is  mistaken  in  saying  they  have  not  been  here;  for  I  learn 
from  Senators  that  the  manuscript  has  been  exhibited  here. 

Mr.  Clay  (in  his  seat).   I  certainly  had  no  knowledge  of  it. 

Mr.  Borland.  What  I  referred  to  was  the  practice  which  has  hitherto 
prevailed  of  the  representatives  of  distinguished  revolutionary  characters 
coming  here  and  offering  for  sale,  and  getting  appropriations  of  large 
sums  of  money,  for  the  relics  of  their  ancestors.  I  should  not  be  sur- 
prised, if  this  manuscript  is  purchased,  to  have  the  sacred  bones  of 
Washington  himself  brought  here  for  sale. 

The  question  was  then  taken  on  ordering  the  resolution  to  be  engrossed 
for  a  third  reading,  and  it  was  agreed  to.     *     *     * 

The  resolution  was  then  read  a  third  time  and  passed. 

In  tiie  House,  Januarj^  29,  1850,  the  joint  resolution  from 
ttie  Senate  to  authorize  the  purchase  of  the  manuscript  of 
the  Farewell  address  of  General  Washington,  coming  up  in 
its  order,  was  read  the  second  time. 

Mr.  Jones  moved  that  it  be  referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Library'. 

Mr.  Casey  remarked  that  he  hoped  the  reference  would  not  be  made, 
but  that  the  resolution  would  be  put  upon  its  final  passage,  nor  could 
he  see  any  objection  to  this  course,  as  every  gentleman  would  feel 
proud  to  see  this  precious  relic  of  the  Father  of  his  Country  among  the 
archives  of  the  Government,  and  that  if  the  resolution  be  committed  it 
would,  in  all  probability^  be  delayed  till  a  time  when  it  will  be  beyond  the 


332  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

reach  of  Congress — as  it  is  announced  in  the  pubhc  papers  that  this 
manuscript  will  be  sold  at  public  action  on  the  12th  of  February  next — 
and,  therefore,  requires  prompt  and  immediate  action  on  the  part  of 
this  House.  I  hope,  therefore,  that  the  affection  for  the  name  and 
character  of  George  Washington,  and  the  patriotism  of  the  House,  will 
promptly  vote  down  the  motion  to  refer,  and  that  the  countrj^  shall  be 
put  in  possession  of  this  invaluable  document. 

The  question  was  then  taken  on  the  motion  to  refer  to  the  Library 
Committee,  and  decided  in  the  negative. 

The  bill  then  received  a  third  reading  with  a  view  to  its  passage. 

Mr.  Carter  moved  so  to  amend  the  bill  as  to  limit  the  amount  to  be 
paid  by  the  committee  to  $500.  He  said  the  amendment  was  to  protect 
the  Government  against  an  exorbitant  demand. 

Mr.  Brown  of  Mississippi  said  that  if  such  a  limitation  were  inserted 
in  the  resolution  it  would  be  tantamount  to  saying  that  Congress  would 
give  that  amount.  If  the  manuscript  was  worth  being  purchased  by 
Congress,  it  was  worth  paying  more  for  than  would  be  paid  from  any 
other  source.  He  hoped  the  gentleman  from  Ohio  would  withdraw  his 
amendment. 

Mr.  Johnson  of  Tennessee  adverted  to  the  appropriation  of  $20,000 
which  had  heretofore  been  voted  for  the  papers  of  General  Washington, 
and  asked  if  Congress  was  willing  now,  because  the  name  of  Washing- 
ton was  made  the  pretext  for  this  new  claim,  to  submit  to  anything  like 
this.  He  characterized  it  as  an  attempt  to  rob  the  Treasury.  Why 
may  not  some  one  come  to  Congress  hereafter  for  the  purchase  of  a  uni- 
form or  the  sword  of  General  Washington,  or  for  the  cracked  brandy 
bottle  said  to  have  belonged  to  him,  which  he  believed  was  now  in  the 
Patent  Office,  with  a  little  brandj^  remaining  in  it?  What  would  there 
be  to  prevent  an  application  to  Congress  hereafter  for  the  purchase  of 
any  or  all  of  them  ?  It  appeared  to  him  that  this  was  merely  a  scheme 
to  extort  money  from  the  public  Treasury.     *     *     * 

Mr.    Chandler   said    the   lowest    price   which   had    been    fixed   was 


;i,ooo. 


Mr.  Johnson  hoped  that  if  it  was  the  understanding  that  $1,000  would 
buy  this  document,  that  this  sum  would  be  inserted  as  a  limit.  Why 
should  Congress,  by  leaving  out  the  limitation  of  price,  put  it  in  the 
power  of  any  one  to  make  a  speculation  on  the  public  Treasury?  He 
would  move  to  fill  the  blank  with  the  words  ' '  one  thousand, ' '  and  then  if 
that  was  agreed  to,  he  hoped  the  resolution  would  be  rejected.     *     *     * 

Mr.  Chandler  said  that  if  he  could  ever  bring  himself  to  believe  that 
General  Washington  had  ever  entertained  a  thought  that  anything  he 
had  ever  written  or  worn  would  be  kept  as  relics  to  be  worshiped  by 
those  who  would  come  after  him,  he  (Mr.  C.)  should  entertain  a  much 
lower  opinion  of  that  distinguished  man  than  he  ever  had  entertained. 
The  General  had  given  this  document  to  Mr.  Claypoole,  and  it  was  given 


MS.  OF  WASHINGTON'S   FAREWELL  ADDRESS.  333 

him  without  restriction  as  to  his  disposal  of  it.  The  family  of  Mr. 
Claypoole  were  always  proud  of  it.  But,  in  consequence  of  his  death, 
it  must  now  be  exposed  to  sale  by  public  auction,  under  the  laws  of  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania.  And  when  he  had  named  $1,000  as  the  price 
of  the  manuscript,  he  had  only  placed  on  it  the  estimate  to  meet  the 
demands  of  the  law. 

The  gentleman  from  Tennessee  had  asked  why  the  uniform,  the  sword, 
and  the  brandy  bottle  might  not  hereafter  be  purchased  by  Congress. 
He  could  give  no  reason  except  it  might  be  the  brandy  was  all  out  of 
the  flask.  The  manuscript  was  offered  and  ought  to  be  purchased  by 
Congress  or  it  would  fall  into  other  hands.  It  had  become  necessary 
that  it  should  be  sold.  There  had  been  no  hawking  of  it  about,  no  cut- 
ting of  it  up  to  be  sold  by  installments.  If  the  Government  does  not  buy 
it  others  will,  and  according  to  the  estimate  which  is  set  upon  it,  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Atlantic.  He  repeated  that  there  could  be  no  doubt  of 
the  genuineness  of  the  document,  which  had  been  substantiated  by  persons 
who  had  known  General  Washington  and  who  were  familiar  with  his 
handwriting. 

Mr.  Johnson  asked  if  the  gentleman  from  Pennsylvania  believed  that 
General  Washington  would  have  permitted  the  present  possessors  of  the 
document  to  retain  it  had  he  supposed  it  would  have  been  offered  at 
public  sale. 

Mr.  Chandler  had  no  means  of  answering  the  question. 

Mr.  Johnson  of  Tennessee  repeated  the  question. 

Mr.  Chandler  replied,  but  his  exact  words  did  not  reach  the  reporter's 
desk. 

Mr.  Stephens  of  Georgia  thought  it  extraordinary  that  gentlemen 
were  not  disposed  to  place  confidence  in  the  committee  in  reference  to 
the  subject.  They  argued  as  if  the  manuscript  had  been  pressed  on 
Congress  for  purchase.  The  fact  is  that  the  executors  and  heirs  of  the 
proprietor  had  no  control  over  it.  Had  the  original  owner  been  yet 
alive  Congress  would  not  have  had  the  opportunity  of  becoming  pos- 
sessed of  it.  He  had  deceased  and  the  heirs  had  no  control  over  the 
matter.  The  document  must  be  sold;  and  he  hoped  the  day  would  not 
be  consumed  in  debating  whether  $1,000  or  $500  should  be  given  for  it, 
but  that  the  purchase  should  be  left  in  the  discretion  of  the  Committee 
on  the  Library. 

Mr.  Stephens  concluded  by  remarking  that  he  had  risen  principally 
to  move  the  previous  question,  which  he  now  did.  He,  however,  with- 
drew the  motion  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Holmes,  who  said  that  if  there 
were  a  relic  of  Washington  which  should  be  treasured  in  the  Capitol  it 
was  this  identical  paper.  It  had  been  often  disputed,  and  until  this 
paper  had  come  to  the  view  of  the  public  it  had  been  seriously  doubted 
whether  that  Farew^ell  address  was  the  production  of  Washington,  or 
whether  the  great  mind  of  Alexander  Hamilton  had  not  conceived  and 


334  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

expressed  the  sentiments  of  that  immortal  paper.  And  now,  as  if  Prov- 
idence had  come  to  vindicate  the  fame  of  Washington,  it  so  happened 
that  upon  the  decease  of  the  person  with  whom  this  precious  document 
had  been  deposited  the  fame  of  Washington  was  vindicated  and  all 
doubt  was  removed.  In  the  Capitol,  where  it  was  intended  by  act  of 
Congress  that  his  ashes  should  lepose,  we  ought  to  preserve  as  a  sacred 
deposit  this  memorial  of  his  living  virtues. 

Mr.  Stephens  renewed  his  demand  for  the  previous  question. 

There  was  a  second. 

And  the  main  question  was  ordered  to  be  now  taken  (which  was  first 
on  the  amendment  limiting  the  amount  of  purchase  money  to  $1,000). 

The  5'eas  and  nays  were  asked  and  ordered. 

And,  pending  the  question, 

The  House  adjourned. 

Finally,  on  the  6tli  of  February,  1850,  tlie  joint  resolution 
from  the  Senate,  authorizing  the  purchase  of  the  manuscript 
of  the  Farewell  address  of  General  Washington,  came  up  in 
its  regular  order. 

The  pending  question  was  on  the  amendment  heretofore  offered  by 
Mr.  Carter,  limiting  the  amount  to  be  paid  for  the  manuscript  to  $1,000. 

On  which  amendment  the  yeas  and  nays  had  been  ordered. 

Mr.  Stephens  of  Georgia  asked  Mr.  Carter  to  withdraw  his  amend- 
ment. 

Mr.  Carter  said  that  if  the  gentleman  from  Georgia  (Mr.  Stephens) 
could  assign  any  good  reason  why  the  amendment  should  be  withdrawn, 
he  (Mr.  C.)  would  withdraw  it. 

The  yeas  and  nays  were  then  taken,  and  resulted — yeas  66,  nays  93 — 
as  follows: 

Yeas. — Messrs.  Albertson,  Allen,  Ashe,  Bay,  Beale,  Bingham,  Bissel, 
Booth,  Bowlin,  Boyd,  Burt,  Joseph  Cable,  Carter,  Cleveland,  William- 
son R.  W.  Cobb,  Daniel,  Dimmick,  Disney,  Edmundson,  Featherston, 
Fitch,  Fuller,  Gilmore,  Green,  Hammond,  Isham  G.  Harris,  Sampson 
W.  Harris,  Thomas  L.  Harris,  Hubbard,  Hunter,  Andrew  Johnson, 
Jones,  Kaufman,  Preston  King,  Littlefield,  Job  Mann,  Mason,  McQueen, 
McWillie,  Miller,  Millson,  Morris,  Olds,  Orr,  Parker,  Potter,  Robbins, 
Savage,  Sawtelle,  Frederick  P.  Stanton,  Stetson,  Strong,  Sweetser, 
Thomas,  Jacob  Thompson,  James  Thompson,  William  Thompson, 
Toombs,  Venable,  Walden,  Waldo,  Wallace,  Whittlesey,  Wildrick, 
Wood,  and  Young — 66. 

Nays. — Messrs.  Alexander,  Alston,  Andrews,  Baker,  Bayly,  Bowie, 
Breck,  Briggs,  Brooks,  Buel,  Burrows,  Chester  Butler,  Thomas  B. 
Butler,  Joseph  P.  Caldwell,  Campbell,  Casey,  Chandler,  Colcock,  Con- 
rad, Corwin,  Dixon,  Doty,  Duncan,  Nathan  Evans,  Ewing,  Fowler, 
Goodenow,  Gott,  Gould,  Halloway,  Hampton,  Harrolson,  Hay,  Hay- 


MS.  OF  WASHINGTON'S  FAREWELL   ADDRESS.  335 

mond,  Henry,  Hibbard,  Hilliard,  Holliday,  Holmes,  Houston,  Howard, 
Howe,  Inge,  Jackson,  Julian,  Kerr,  Daniel  P.  King,  George  G.  King, 
James  G.  King,  John  A.  King,  Horace  Mann,  Marshall,  Matteson, 
McKissock,  Robert  M.  McLane,  Meacham,  Meade,  Moore,  Morse,  Mor- 
ton, Nelson,  Ogle,  Otis,  Peaslee,  Peck,  Phoenix,  Pitman,  Putnam,  Reed, 
Rockwell,  Root,  Ramsey,  Sackett,  Schenck,  Schermerhorn,  Schoolcraft, 
Seddon,  Shepperd,  Spalding,  Sprague,  Stanley,  Richard  H.  Stanton, 
Alexander  H.  Stephens,  Taylor,  John  B.  Thompson,  Underbill,  Van 
Dyke,  Vinton,  Watkins,  White,  Williams,  Wilson,  and  Winthrop — 93. 

So  the  amendment  was  rejected. 

Mr.  Sweetser  moved  that  there  be  a  call  of  the  House. 

The  Speaker  decided  the  motion  to  be  out  of  order,  the  previous  ques- 
tion having  been  ordered. 

The  question  then  was  on  ordering  the  bill  to  be  engrossed  for  a  third 
reading. 

The  resolution  was  read  a  third  time  bj^  its  title,  and  the  question  then 
being  on  the  passage  thereof — 

Mr.  Johnson  of  Tennessee  understood,  he  said  (addressing  the  Chair), 
that  the  previous  question  had  now  been  exhausted,  and  that,  on  the 
question  of  its  passage,  the  bill  was  open  to  debate. 

The  Speaker  assented. 

Mr.  Johnson  said  he  understood  from  the  vote  just  taken  the  House 
intended  to  authorize  the  committee  to  pay  any  price  they  might  think 
proper  for  this  manuscript.  It  seemed  that  the  House  was  not  satisfied 
to  limit  the  amount  to  be  paid  to  $1,000.  It  was  conclusive,  then,  to 
his  mind,  if  not  to  the  minds  of  others,  that  the  committee  was  expected 
to  pay  more  than  this  sum.  Now,  he  asked  in  the  name  of  his  constitu- 
ents and  in  the  name  of  the  American  people,  what  w^as  this  whole 
manuscript  worth?  He  presumed  that  every  gentleman  on  this  floor  had 
the  Farewell  address  of  Washington  in  its  spirit,  as  correctly  printed. 
On  what  principle  was  this  manuscript  now  offered  to  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States?  *  ^  =j^  Was  there  not  the  same  reason  to  purchase 
the  pen,  if  it  could  be  found,  with  which  the  manuscript  was  prepared, 
or  to  purchase  the  old  printing  press  and  the  type  upon  which  the 
Address  was  printed?  *  *  *  If  Congress  paid  a  large  price  for  this 
manuscript,  there  would  soon  be  a  dozen  copies  of  the  manuscript  which 
Congress  could  purchase.  *  =;=  *  There  had  already  been  too  many 
impositions  of  this  character  practiced  upon  the  Government,  under 
these  appeals  to  the  patriotism  of  Congress.  There  was  a  good  deal 
more  of  pretense  than  of  reality  in  this  thing  called  patriotism.  A  great 
many  men — gentlemen,  as  they  were  called — were  ready  to  make  a  dis- 
play of  their  patriotism  by  putting  their  hands  into  other  people's  pock- 
ets. Their  views  were  then  ver}'  large  and  patriotic,  but  they  were  very 
different  when  it  came  to  putting  their  hands  into  their  own  pockets. 
*  *  *  The  opinion  was  becoming  ver>'  common  that  he  who  plucked 
the  Government  most  was  the  best  fellow.     *     *    * 


336  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

Mr.  Inge  rose  and  said  that  he  had  voted  against  the  amendment 
which  had  been  moved  by  the  gentleman  from  Ohio  (Mr.  Carter), 
although  the  rejection  seemed  to  imply  that  it  was  the  sense  of  the 
House  that  the  committee  should  be  empowered  to  purchase  the  manu- 
script at  any  price  at  which  it  could  be  obtained.  Had  the  amendment 
of  the  gentleman  from  Ohio  been  adopted,  it  was  clear  that  the  purchase 
could  not  have  been  made  for  any  sum  less  than  $1,000,  the  amount 
limited  in  the  amendment,  because  that  would  have  been  considered  as 
conveying  the  opinion  of  the  House  that  this  was  the  value  set  upon  it 
by  the  Government.  This  was  the  reason  which  had  influenced  him 
when  he  gave  his  vote  against  the  amendment.  He  was  opposed  to  the 
resolution  in  any  form,  while  he  was  willing  to  give  it  that  shape  which 
would  be  most  acceptable  to  the  House. 

He  was  as  much  disposed  as  any  gentleman  to  attach  a  high  value  to 
everything  which  was  represented  to  us  as  a  relic  of  the  immortal 
Washington.  There  was  no  man  who  could  be  more  eager  than  himself 
to  treasure  up  the  sacred  memory  of  that  great  man.  But  he  thought 
that  this  was  no  time  for  the  adoption  of  this  resolution.  The  glorious 
sentiments  embodied  by  General  Washington  in  his  Farewell  address 
had  faded  away.  These  sentiments  which  were  so  wisely,  so  patriot- 
ically expressed  in  that  important  paper  had  passed  away,  and  were  now 
lost  sight  of.  Does  public  opinion  respond  to  the  sentiments  contained 
in  that  Address?  No.  There  is  no  such  response.  Instead  of  respond- 
ing to  the  exhortations  contained  in  that  paper  our  country  throughout 
her  whole  extent  is  at  this  moment  torn  by  dissensions  which  threaten, 
in  their  progress  and  their  termination,  to  tear  down  the  existing  fabric 
of  our  Government  and  to  destroy  the  most  precious  relic  which  has 
heretofore  been  preserved  in  the  ark  of  the  Constitution.  He  could 
not  give  his  assent  to  this  resolution,  which  contemplated  a  measure 
derogatory  to  the  character  of  General  Washington. 

He  renewed  the  motion  to  lay  the  resolution  on  the  table,  but  subse- 
quently withdrew  it, 

Mr.  Stephens  of  Georgia  had  no  desire  to  say  much  in  reply  to  the 
gentleman  from  Tennessee  and  the  gentleman  from  Alabama.  But  the 
truth,  the  solemn,  warning  truth,  of  the  present  dissensions  in  the 
country  uttered  by  the  gentleman  from  Alabama,  and  on  which  he  had 
based  his  opposition  to  the  resolution,  was,  in  fact,  the  strongest  argu- 
ment in  its  favor.  It  was  true,  indeed,  and  a  mournful  truth  it  was, 
that  the  spirit  of  Washington's  Farewell  address  seems  no  longer  to 
govern  and  guide  our  councils.  But  was  it  not  the  more  important  that 
gentlemen  from  all  sections  of  the  Union  should  pause  and  consider  well 
the  grave  and  weighty  lessons  taught  in  that  paper,  which  by  every 
American  should  be  cherished  as  the  most  valuable  legacy  bequeathed 
us  by  the  greatest  benefactor  of  his  country?  It  is  true  we  hear  nothing 
but  discord  in  the  land.     It  is  not  my  purpose  to  speak  of  the  cause  or 


MS.  OF  WASHINGTON'S  FAREWELL  ADDRESS.  337 

origin  of  this  lamentable  state  of  things.  Perhaps  the  gentleman  from 
Alabama  and  myself  might  not  disagree  as  to  them.  We  conceive  that 
a  portion  of  the  people  in  one  section  of  the  Union,  disregarding  the 
solemn  injunctions  of  the  parting  farewell  of  the  Father  of  his  Country, 
are  threatening  aggressions  upon  our  section,  which,  if  persisted  in, 
may  bring  upon  us  all  those  dire  calamities  wliich  are  so  prophetically 
set  forth  in  this  Address.  Could  we  address  to  that  spirit  of  aggression 
a  stronger  or  more  suitable  argument  than  an  appeal  to  the  principles 
of  brotherly  kindness  and  mutual  forbearance  which  that  address  so 
forcibly  and  eloquently  inculcates?  Before  we  despair,  let  us  again 
invoke  that  same  spirit  of  justice,  forbearance,  harmony,  and  amity 
which  breathes  throughout  that  Address,  and  which  has  never  failed  in 
times  past  to  save  us  in  times  of  the  greatest  danger  and  peril. 

The  gentleman  from  Tennessee  had  put  the  question,  "What  is  the 
old  writing  worth?"  He  would  not  give  an  answer  to  this  question. 
He  trusted  that  we  had  not  yet  arrived  at  that  point  when  the  value  of 
the  sentiments  of  the  immortal  penman  of  that  paper  was  to  be  estimated 
by  a  money  standard.  He  hoped  that  in  no  part  of  the  Union  had  we 
come  to  this  low  point.  He  hoped  we  had  not  for  the  honor  of  the 
country.  He  believed  that  if  all  the  people  in  all  parts  of  the  country 
could  meet  together  and  listen  to  the  noble  sentiments  of  that  address, 
the  flickering  hope  of  tranquillity,  which  is  now  scarcely  visible,  would 
be  speedily  strengthened  and  would  reillumine  the  countr>-  from  one 
end  of  its  limits  to  the  other.  *>!«=!=  Who  was  there  who  had  not 
placed  a  high  estimate  on  the  autographs  of  the  distinguished  men  of 
England  and  of  her  old  writers?  Who  did  not  know  how  eagerly  the 
original  facsimiles  of  the  writing  of  the  letters  of  Junius,  with  all  the 
interpolations  and  corrections,  were  sought  after?  Who  did  not  attach 
a  high  value  to  the  facsimiles  of  the  writings  of  Byron — even  the  inter- 
lineations and  erasures  of  the  most  beautiful  and  sublimest  parts  of  Childe 
Harold?  What  would  you  not  give,  Mr.  Speaker,  for  the  original  man- 
uscripts of  Manfred  or  Hamilton?  Yet  who  among  us  would  compare 
these  with  the  original  of  the  most  important  paper  ever  written  by 
Washington?  He  could  not  consent  that  a  manuscript  of  that  distin- 
guished man  should  be  compared  with  the  writings  of  any  other  man 
who  had  ever  lived. 

Mr.  Johnson  asked  if  the  Government  did  not  pay  $40,000  for  all  the 
original  papers  of  Washington,  and  now  it  appeared  that  this  manuscript 
was  not  among  the  papers  thus  paid  for. 

Mr.  Stephens  said  this  inquiry'  showed  that  there  was  a  wide  difference 
between  the  sentiments  of  the  gentleman  from  Tennessee  and  his  own. 
He  (Mr.  S.)  could  not  estimate  the  value  of  these  papers  by  mere  dol- 
lars and  cents.  If  the  Government  had  paid  one  million  for  the  papers 
of  W^ashington,  and  had  the  Government  been  even  cheated  in  the  pur- 
chase, he  would  not  suffer  such  considerations  to  influence  his  course. 
23399—04 22 


338  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE  LIBRARY,  1852-1S64. 

If  the  father  of  any  gentleman  before  his  death  had  left  a  letter  full  of 
instructive  suggestions  and  of  solemn  warnings  against  evils  which  were 
likely  to  come,  and  that  letter  had  been  lost,  and  if  it  had  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  some  individual,  who,  actuated  by  merceuar>^  views,  desired  to 
make  sale  of  it,  would  not  the  person  to  whom  it  was  addressed,  and 
to  whom  it  was  dear  as  a  relic  of  paternal  love,  submit  to  any  sacrifice  to 
prevent  it  from  passing  into  other  hands?     *     *     * 

I,et  the  paper,  then,  be  bought;  let  it  be  placed  in  the  I^ibrary,  where 
the  people  from  all  sections,  when  they  come  up  to  the  Capitol,  may 
look  upon  it  and  read  it;  and  when  they  behold  the  lines  made  by  the 
hand  of  Washington  may  they  invoke  and  catch  the  spirit  of  patriotism, 
harmony,  and  love  of  country  which  animated  his  breast  when  he  traced 
these  \vise  and  fatherly  admonitions  to  his  countrymen.  I^et  the  case- 
ment that  shall  contain  the  sacred  treasure  be  a  national  altar,  about 
which  and  around  which  the  true  friends  of  the  Republic  from  all  sec- 
tions maj^  come  and  renew  their  vows  to  the  Constitution  and  its  com- 
promises in  the  spirit  in  which  it  was  formed;  and  from  this  may  the 
spirit  of  Washington  rise  from  its  slumbers  and  go  forth  amidst  the  roar 
and  tumult  of  the  storm  now  raging  and  calm  the  excited  waves  of 
popular  opinion  now  running  so  high  and  portentously  speaking  to  those 
dismayed  by  the  revolutionary  prospect  before  us,  in  the  language  of 
Him  who  spoke  as  never  man  spake,  when  He  allayed  the  boisterous 
sea,  "Be  of  good  cheer.  It  is  I,  be  not  afraid." 

Mr.  Chandler  said  he  had  not  risen  to  make  any  speech.  He  trusted 
it  would  be  found  that  the  Father  of  his  Country,  although  dead,  would 
be  heard  speaking  through  the  House.  Whatever  fate  then  might 
await  this  resolution,  it  would  be  subject  for  gratification  with  him  that 
it  had  been  brought  forward.  He  trusted  that  the  House  would  con- 
sider itself  brought  not  to  estimate  the  value  of  the  Union  but  of  these 
sentiments  which  are  now  brought  back  vividly  to  our  remembrance; 
and  that  we  would  suffer  ourselves  to  be  carried  back  to  those  times  and 
those  scenes  when  these  sentiments  flowed  from  the  Father  of  his 
Country  and  found  expression  on  the  paper  which  it  is  now  proposed  to 
purchase. 

He  would  rejoice,  with  the  gentleman  from  Georgia,  to  see  the  origi- 
nal document  deposited  among  the  precious  things  in  the  lyibrary.  He 
would  rejoice  could  all  the  people  of  the  Union  be  assembled  here,  and 
that  you,  sir,  should  read  to  all  the  great  truths  contained  in  that  inter- 
esting paper,  and  we  should  all  consider  ourselves  as  brothers,  members 
of  the  same  family,  having  the  same  interest  and  united  by  one  common 
feeling  of  love. 

He  esteemed  the  yellow  paper  on  which  the  manuscript  was  written 
as  far  superior  in  value  to  any  paper  of  this  time,  as  much  so  as  he 
regarded  the  sacred  tomb  at  Mount  Vernon  as  abo\'e  all  other  tombs, 
the  one  as  the  depository  of  the  bones  sanctified  there,  as  the  other  for 
the  spirit  of  the  immortal  chief  which  breathed  in  it. 


Before  i860. 


^■^!  Cbtp-r^^"^ 


!!^^-2j^ 


ill  ■••"'ilaltiiiir 


After  1S60. 


I.IUkAKY   STAMl'S   AM)    HDOK    l.AHKI.S. 


Hislriry  of  tlio  I.ilirary  of  CmiKress,  vol.  i,  |)l.ile  J2. 


MS.  OF  WASHINGTON'S  FAREWELL  ADDRESS.  339 

He  did  not  believe,  with  the  gentleman  from  Alabama,  that  the  spirit 
of  this  address  had  departed  from  among  us.  He  thought  it  was  not 
dead,  but  sleeping,  and  he  agreed  with  the  gentleman  from  Georgia  that 
the  influence  of  this  paper  would  reanimate  it.  He  had  no  desire  to 
make  a  speech,  but  merel)^  a  brief  explanation.  If  the  possessors  of  this 
document  came  here  as  the  sellers  of  it,  he  had  not  been  so  informed,  or 
that  they  had  come  into  the  market  with  this  paper,  or  are  anxious  that 
the  Government  should  become  a  competitor  for  its  purchase.  There 
are  some  who  may  want  it  and  not  be  able  to  buy  it.  We  may  not  want 
it,  yet  ought  to  buy  it.     *     *     * 

The  question  on  the  passage  of  the  resolution  being  ordered,  Mr. 
Mason  and  Mr.  Carter  asked  the  yeas  and  nays,  which,  being  taken, 
were — yeas,  103;  nays,  45 — as  follows: 

Veas. — Messrs.  Allen,  Alston,  Anderson,  Andrews,  Baker,  Bayly, 
Bowie,  Briggs,  Brooks,  Allen  G.  Brown,  Buel,  Burrows,  Chester,  Butler, 
Joseph  P.  Caldwell,  Campbell,  Carter,  Casey,  Chandler,  Conrad,  Corwin, 
Deberry,  Dickey,  Dimmick,  Disney,  Dixon,  Duncan,  Nathan  Evans, 
Ewing,  Featherston,  Fitch,  Fowler,  Fuller,  Gerry,  Goodenow,  Gott, 
Gould,  Halloway,  Thomas  L.  Harris,  Hay,  Haymond,  Henry,  Hibbard, 
Hilliard,  Holmes,  Houston,  Howard,  Howe,  Hunter,  Jackson,  Kerr, 
Daniel  P.  King,  George  G.  King,  James  G.  King,  John  A.  King,  Marshall, 
Matteson,  McDowell,  McKissock,  Robert  M.  McLane,  Meacham,  Meade, 
Millson,  Moore,  Morton,  Nelson,  Ogle,  Otis,  Parker,  Peaslee,  Peck, 
Phoenix,  Pitman,  Potter,  Putnam,  Reed,  Robbins,  Rockwell,  Root, 
Rumsey,  Sackett,  Savage,  Schenck,  Schermerhorn,  Schoolcraft,  Seddon, 
Spalding,  Sprague,  Stanly,  Richard  H.  Stanton,  Alexander  H.  Stephens, 
Taylor,  Underbill,  Van  Dyke,  Vinton,  Walden,  Waldo,  Watkins,  White, 
Whittlesey,  Williams,  Wilson,  and  Winthrop — 103. 

Nays. — Messrs.  Albertson,  Ashe,  Averett,  Bay,  Beale,  Booth,  Boyd, 
Burt,  Joseph  Cable,  Williamson  R.  W.  Cobb,  Colcock,  Conger,  Daniel, 
Edmundson,  Giddings,  Green,  Hammond,  Ishani  G.  Harris,  Sampson 
W.  Harris,  Hubbard,  Inge,  Andrew  Johnson,  Jones,  Preston  King, 
Littlefield,  Job  Mann,  Mason,  McQueen,  McWillie,  Miller,  Morris,  Orr, 
Phelps,  Frederick  P.  Stanton,  Strong,  Sweetser,  Thomas,  Jacob  Thomp- 
son, William  Thompson,  Toombs,  Venable,  Wallace,  Wildrick,  Wood, 
and  Young — 45. 

So  the  resolution  was  passed. 

Mr.  Stephens  of  Georgia  moved  a  reconsideration  of  the  vote,  and 
that  that  motion  be  laid  on  the  lable. 

Mr.  Mason  moved  that  the  House  adjourn. 

The  House  refused  to  adjourn. 

The  question  then  recurred,  and  was  taken  on  the  demand  for  the 
previous  question,  and  was  decided  in  the  affirmative. 

So  the  motion  to  reconsider  was  laid  on  the  table. 

And  the  joint  resolution  stands  passed. 


340  DEVELOPMENT  OF   THE  LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States 
of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  Joint  Committee  on  the 
Library  be  authorized  to  purchase  the  manuscript  of  the  Farewell 
address  to  the  people  of  the  United  States,  of  George  Washington,  if  the 
purchase  of  it  can  be  effected  on  fair  and  just  terms,  in  the  opinion  of 
the  committee. 

Approved,  February  12,  1850. 

On  the  same  day  that  the  resolution  was  approved  the 
manuscript  was  sold  at  auction,  as  had  been  advertised.  The 
purchaser  was  James  Lenox,  of  New  York.  The  price  paid 
for  the  manuscript  was  $2,300.' 

MAPS. 

The  only  evidence  there  was  of  an  interest  in  the  collection 
of  maps  before  1865  was  the  vote  in  the  committee,  March 
20,  1830,  that  the  Librarian  be  instructed  to  procure  Burr's 
County  atlas  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  the  best  maps 
of  the  several  States  which  were  not  already  in  the  Library; 
and  in  the  appropriation,  July  2,  1864,  of  $1,000,  to  enable 
the  Library  Committee  to  purchase  of  Bdward  Bverett  Hale 
a  collection  of  maps  and  plans,  chiefly  manuscript  originals, 
illustrative  of  the  French  and  Indian  war  and  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.^ 

During  this  period,  however,  Lieut.  Bdward  B.  Hunt,  U.  S. 
Army,  formulated  a  plan  for  the  geographical  department  of 
the  Library  of  Congress,  which  he  discussed  at  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  American  Association  for  the  Advancement  of 
Science,  at  Cleveland,  July  28  to  August  2,  1853,  as  follows: 

The  present  occasion  seems  peculiarly  appropriate  for  bringing  for- 
ward and  initiating  a  plan  or  project  which  has  been  for  some  months 
maturing  in  my  own  mind,  and  which  has  been  well  received  by  those 

^Public  Ledger,  February  13,  1850;  North  Americati,  February  13.  There  is 
another  interesting  newspaper  notice  of  the  MS.  in  the  National  Intelligencer, 
September  18,  1857. 

'  Catalogue  of  a  curious  and  valuable  collection  of  original  maps  and  plans  of  mili- 
tary positions  held  in  the  old  French  and  Revolutionary  wars;  with  plans  of  differ- 
ent cities,  and  maps  of  the  country.  Most  of  these  are  original  manuscripts,  drawn 
at  the  time  by  officers  in  the  English  army.  *  *  *  [Boston,  1862].  13  pp.  8°. 
The.se  maps  and  plans,  about  100  in  number,  were  secured  by  Rev.  Mr.  Converse 
at  the  sale  of  the  collection  of  William  Faden,  geographer  to  the  King,  and  passed 
from  Mr.  Converse  into  the  possession  of  Nathan  Hale,  the  father  of  Edward  Everett 
Hale.— Letter  from  Edward  Everett  Hale,  January  7,  1904. 


DEPARTMENT  OF   MAPS.  34 1 

to  whom  I  have  mentioned  it.  I  trust  I  do  not  exaggerate  its  merits 
or  overrate  its  importance  in  anticipating  that  this  association  will  give 
it  the  whole  weight  of  its  influence  and  indorsement. 

Having  occasion,  as  an  assistant  on  the  Coast  Survey,  to  make  various 
researches  into  special  points  of  our  coast  geography,  I  found  it  a  matter 
of  great  difficulty  to  collate  the  various  authorities  bearing  thereon,  and 
still  more  difficult  to  make  sure  that  I  had  not  omitted  some  such 
authorities,  possibly  of  the  first  importance.  It  then  occurred  to  me  to 
attempt  the  collection  and  methodizing  of  information  relative  to  maps 
and  charts,  and  of  the  localities  where  they  might  be  found.  Something 
was  being  done  in  this  way,  but  it  was  soon  clear  that  a  formidable 
difiiculty  would  still  remain  in  the  dispersion  of  the  materials  thus 
indexed.  To  remedy  this  in  part,  some  tracings  and  printed  copies  were 
added  to  the  Coast  Survey  collection,  though  the  limited  means  thus 
applicable  prevented  anything  bordering  on  completeness,  even  in  regard 
to  our  own  seacoast. 

At  this  stage  of  affairs  it  occurred  to  me  that  a  complete  and  special 
geographical  library,  not  only  of  materials  on  the  United  States  sea- 
coast,  but  of  those  relating  to  the  whole  country — to  America  at  large, 
and  to  the  whole  world — would  be  a  highly  valuable  aid  to  all  researches, 
whether  undertaken  for  the  Coast  Survey  or  for  anj^  other  purpose — 
either  of  histor}^  of  commerce,  of  home  policy,  or  of  foreign  relations. 
This  idea  at  once  connected  itself  with  the  Library  of  Congress  as  the 
place  of  all  others  where  it  could  best  be  executed  and  where  it  would 
prove  of  most  value  and  convenience.  Congress  is  reinstating  the 
Library,  after  its  burning,  and  now  is  the  time  when  this  plan  can  best 
be  undertaken. 

These  geographical  aids  are  greatly  needed  in  Congress  for  the  clear 
understanding  and  discussion  of  many  important  questions,  both  domes- 
tic and  foreign,  and  in  no  place  could  such  a  collection  better  ser\'e  all 
interests. 

The  definite  plan  which  seems  to  me  most  worth  to  be  adopted  is 
essentially  the  following: 

I.  Let  a  geographical  department  of  the  Congress  Library  be  estab- 
lished as  a  distinct  and  independently  organized  department,  with  its 
own  executive  officer,  the  general  direction  being  by  the  Joint  Library 
Committee. 

II.  Let  special  appropriations  be  made  for  this  department,  or  let 
the  Library  Committee  set  apart  a  portion  of  the  general  Library  appro- 
priations for  this  purpose.  During  the  period  of  collecting  the  great 
mass  of  existing  materials  these  appropriations  would  require  to  be  pro- 
portionately large. 

III.  Let  the  appropriated  funds  be  applied  to  the  collection,  arrange- 
ment, and  indexing  of  all  important  geographical  materials  relating  to 
the  whole  world;  also  in  part  to  the  necessary  expenses  of  administration. 


342  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

IV.  Among  the  materials  thus  to  be  collected,  the  following  classes 
may  be  mentioned:  i.  A  first-class  terrestrial  globe.  2.  All  materials 
illustrating  the  early  and  recent  geography  of  the  United  States,  both  its 
seacoast  and  interior,  including  traced  copies  of  all  valuable  maps  and 
charts  in  manuscript  and  not  published.  The  materials  for  illustrating 
the  past  and  present  geography  of  each  State,  county,  township,  and 
city  should  be  gathered  by  purchase,  correspondence,  and  tracing.  3. 
All  maps  and  charts  on  the  remainder  of  America.  4.  The  Admiralty 
or  seacoast  charts  of  all  the  European  and  other  foreign  States  and  the 
detailed  topographical  surveys  of  their  interiors  where  such  have  been 
made.  5.  The  most  approved  maps  published  from  private  resources, 
whether  as  atlases,  nautical  charts,  or  mural  maps,  including  publica- 
tions on  physical  geograph}^  guide  books,  railroad  maps,  and  city  hand- 
books. 6.  A  complete  collection  of  all  the  narratives  of  voyages  of  dis- 
covery and  exploration,  especially  those  undertaken  by  the  EngHsh  and 
French  Governments.  7.  Geographical,  geodetic,  and  nautical  man- 
uals and  treatises  with  all  the  requisite  bibliographical  aids  to  the 
amplest  geographical  investigation. 

V.  Having  an  organization  and  appropriations  for  gathering  such  a 
mass  of  materials,  it  would  be  of  the  first  importance  to  arrange  com- 
plete and  systematic  indices  or  catalogues,  which  would  at  once  make 
known  all  the  material  on  each  locality,  and  to  have  those  materials  so 
arranged  as  best  to  facilitate  special  research. 

VI.  A  drawing  room,  in  which  materials  for  the  collection  could  be 
copied  either  for  its  files  or  to  answer  public  and  private  calls,  would 
be  indispensable  for  the  completeness  of  this  scheme.  In  this  room 
compilation  could  be  conducted  in  answer  to  Congressional  calls  and  in 
keeping  constantly  corrected  and  filled  out  a  set  of  State  maps  on  large 
scales  to  which  map  publishers  should  have  free  access. 

VII.  A  competent  executive  officer  would  be  able  to  maintain  corre- 
spondence with  persons  having  special  geographical  knowledge,  and  to 
keep  a  list  of  persons  who  could  be  addressed  for  additional  information 
on  foreign  and  domestic  localities.  Also,  corresponding  relations  should 
be  maintained  with  foreign  geographical  societies,  and  their  publications 
secured  with  promptness. 

VIII.  The  head  of  this  department  could  present,  through  the  Library 
Committee,  an  annual  report  on  the  geographical  explorations  by  our 
own  and  foreign  Governments,  or  by  individuals,  so  far  as  their  results 
can  be  learned;  making  this,  indeed,  a  synopsis  of  all  the  interesting 
and  important  geographical  facts  or  publications  for  the  year. 

IX.  Among  the  duties  which  should  belong  to  this  department  would 
be  that  of  calling  attention  to  points  demanding  examination,  or  locali- 
ties needing  exploration.  Also  it  would  be  able  to  furnish  the  prelimi- 
nary information  for  such  explorations  or  to  indicate  the  sources 
whence  it  could  be  derived. 


DEPARTMENT   OF   MAPS.  343 

Anyone  who  will  reflect  on  the  outline  now  presented,  must,  I  am 
sure,  concede  that  here  is  a  field  hitherto  unoccupied  among  us,  wherein 
much  good  can  be  done  by  one  possessing  the  proper  qualifications,  and 
that  these  qualifications  must  be  eminently  special  if  successful  results 
are  to  be  obtained.  No  collection  in  the  United  States  approaches  to 
the  organic  completeness  or  eflBciency  here  contemplated.  The  Harvard 
collection,  so  excellent  in  old  maps,  is  very  deficient  in  those  great  works 
of  interior  and  exterior  survey  which  characterize  the  last  fifty  years. 
No  collection  exists  in  our  land  which  furnishes  full  materials  for  exten- 
sive investigations,  such  as  are  now  more  and  more  demanded  by  ques- 
tions of  history,  science,  commerce,  and  policy.  There  is  no  probabilitj^ 
that  such  a  collection  can  soon  be  formed  anywhere  besides  in  the  Con- 
gress lyibrary.  As  Congress  has  so  much  to  gain  by  this  plan,  and  as 
the  several  Executive  Departments  in  Washington  would  find  so  great 
an  advantage  in  such  a  systematic  collection,  it  should  really  be  made  a 
national  undertaking.  In  the  facilities  it  would  furnish  the  State 
Department,  the  Engineer  and  Topographical  Bureaus,  the  Coast  Sur- 
vey, the  National  Observatory,  and  the  several  naval  bureaus  the 
Government  would  derive  a  full  equivalent  for  all  its  cost.  The  value 
of  such  a  collection  in  its  relation  to  legislation;  in  its  illustration  of 
river  and  harbor  questions;  in  its  prospective  use  for  illu.strating  history, 
and,  generally,  as  a  means  of  exalting  and  correcting  our  geographical 
knowledge,  gives  it,  most  truly,  the  character  proper  for  a  national 
enterprise.  Nor  need  we  doubt  the  liberal  action  of  Congress  if  the 
subject  be  well  and  earne.stly  brought  before  it.  All  intelligent  mem- 
bers must  at  once  perceive  its  advantage  and  convenience  to  themselves 
in  discharging  their  high  trusts.  There  is  scarcely  a  day  of  Congres- 
sional session  without  some  question  of  home  or  foreign  localities  so 
coming  up  as  to  need  full  and  correct  geographical  resources.  More- 
over, Congress  is  always  well  inclined  toward  actual  surveys  and 
explorations,  and  it  would  be  peculiarly  inconsistent  for  it  to  lack 
liberality  in  appropriating  the  comparatively  trifling  amount  needed  to 
bring  together  and  arrange  the  published  and  manuscript  results  of  such 
surveys.  There  appears,  on  the  whole,  no  valid  objection  to  the  plan 
proposed  and  no  reason  to  question  that  it  can  be  really  executed  if 
those  who  know  how  to  appreciate  it  wall  exert  them.selves  somewhat, 
as  is  always  requisite  for  the  attainment  of  even  the  least  questionable 
improvements. 

Hoping  that  this  association  will  cordially  approve  the  views  thus 
presented  and  be  ready  to  act  in  favor  of  their  realization,  I  will  now 
respectfully  submit  the  following  resolution: 

''Resolved,  That  the  president  of  this  association  be  requested  to 
appoint  a  committee  of  five  members  to  prepare  and  present,  in  the  name 
of  this  association,  a  memorial  to  the  Joint  Library  Committee  of  Con- 
gress, urging  on  it,   and  through  it  on  Congress,  the  advantages  of 


344  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

establishing  a  complete,  thoroughly  organized,  and  liberally  sustained 
geographical  department  of  the  Congress  Library,  and  presenting 
therein  such  a  project  or  plan  of  organization  of  this  department,  as 
shall  seem  to  the  committee  best  adapted  to  promote  its  final  usefulness 
and  success  in  relation  to  the  Government  and  country  at  large. ' ' ' 

This  resolution  was  accordingly  passed  and  tlie  following 
committee  was  appointed  to  memorialize  Congress  upon  the 
subject:  Prof.  A.  D.  Bache,  Gen.  Joseph  G.  Totten,  U.  S. 
Arm}^,  Col.  J.  J.  Abert,  U.  S.  Army,  Lieut.  M.  F.  Maury, 
U.  S.  Navy,  Lieut.  C.  H.  Davis,  U.  S.  Navy,  Peter  Force, 
Prof.  A.  Guyot,  Lieut.  B.  B.  Hunt,  U.  S.  Army. 

The  committee  at  once  drew  up  a  memorial  urging  the 
importance  of  such  a  department  in  the  Library,  stating  what 
the  collection  should  consist  of,  and  what  would  be  necessary 
to  its  continued  usefulness.     They  said: 

There  is  not  in  the  United  States  nor  on  this  continent  a  single  col- 
lection of  geographical  materials  which  is  even  tolerably  complete.  The 
Harv^ard  collection,  the  collections  of  the  State  Department,  the  Hydro- 
graphic  Office,  the  topographical  and  engineer  bureaus,  the  Coast 
Surve)',  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  and  those  of  libraries,  colleges, 
societies,  and  scholars  generall)^  throughout  our  country,  have  been 
formed  for  some  special  and  limited  purpose,  and  hence,  all  are  at 
present  very  imperfect.  None  rises  to  the  rank  of  a  true  geograph- 
ical Ubrary,  in  which  should  be  found  the  means  of  investigating  all 
geographical  questions,  both  of  sea  and  land,  at  home  and  abroad. 
*  '-^  *  In  the  French  Dep6t  de  la  gzierre,  on  the  contrary,  we  would 
be  able  to  trace  each  step  and  probability,  because  the  French  Govern- 
ment has  been  systematically  collecting,  through  many  years,  all  pos- 
sible information  on  this  as  on  all  other  supposable  theaters  of  war  or 
policy.  It  is  a  singular  and  striking  fact  that  the  most  extensive  col- 
lection of  maps  now  in  America  even  in  the  American  department,  was 
collected  by  Professor  Ebeling,  of  Hamburg,  and  that  this  collection, 
purchased  by  Mr.  Thorndyke,  of  Boston,  and  by  him  presented  to  the 
Harvard  Library,  has  been  laid  under  serious  contribution  for  some  of 
our  most  important  negotiations,  especially  that  on  the  northeastern 
boundary  question. 

Next  are  enumerated  the  several  materials  which  should  be  embraced 
in  such  a  collection.  These  are,  first,  all  maps  and  charts,  whether  pub- 
lished or  unpublished,  which  relate  to  the  United  States  and  its  waters 
or  to  any  portion  thereof,  however  minute;  second,  a  complete  collec- 

'  Norton's  Literary  Gazette  3:  129-130;  Proceedings  of  the  American  Association 
for  the  Advancement  of  Science  (1856),  7:  171-175. 


DEPARTMENT   OF   MAPS.  345 

tion  of  maps  and  atlases  which  have  beeu  pubHshed  abroad,  and  which 
relate  to  other  countries;  third,  geographical-society  publications,  the 
results  of  the  various  exploring  expeditions  sent  out  by  the  various 
governments,  and  such  other  books  and  periodicals  as  are  especially 
devoted  to  such  intelligence;  fourth,  works  on  geographical  bibliogra- 
phy, and,  lastly,  a  pair  of  first-class  terrestrial  and  celestial  globes.  The 
amount  which  would  be  requisite  for  the  establishment  of  such  a  depart- 
ment is  estimated  somewhat  as  follows:  For  the  purchase  of  the  2,000 
Admiralty  charts,  the  1,400  French  charts,  the  English,  Irish,  French, 
German,  Prussian,  etc.,  sur\^eys ;  the  principal  atlases;  the  English, 
French,  Russian,  Spanish,  American,  and  other  volumes  of  explorations; 
the  geodetic  and  nautical  works;  the  gazetteers,  encyclopedias,  hand- 
books, etc. ;  the  globes,  and  many  other  items  which  should  be  procured 
almost  at  once,  it  would  seem  that  an  appropriation  of  $30,000  would  be 
no  more  than  a  judicious  and  efficient  beginning  would  require.  For 
subsequent  years  a  less  amount  would  suffice,  as  the  requisite  appropria- 
tion would  but  shghtly  exceed  that  needed  for  administration  and  for  the 
purchase  of  the  special  publications  of  the  year. 

The  qualifications  of  the  superintendent  of  this  department  are  thus 
described: 

A  geographical  library  can  only  be  formed  and  duly  administered  by 
being  placed  under  the  special  direction  of  one  versed  in  geography  as  a 
science.  In  this  respect  it  differs  much  from  any  other  section  of  a  gen- 
eral library-.  The  materials  to  be  accumulated  must  be  procured  from 
sources  so  diverse  and  special  that  a  general  bibliographer  can  not  be 
informed  thereon.  Many  valuable  maps  and  charts  exist  only  in  manu- 
.script,  and  tracings  should  be  procured  and  verified.  This  demands  an 
acquaintance  with  drawing.  An  active  and  laborious  correspondence 
would  be  necessary  to  bring  together  the  vast  number  of  local  maps 
which  are  or  will  be  published  on  the  subdivisions  of  the  United  States; 
also  the  best  foreign  maps  of  cities,  provinces,  etc.  Nor  can  anyone 
but  a  geographer  of  superior  capacity  attain  that  critical  knowledge  of 
the  character  and  reliabiHty  of  different  maps  and  charts  which  is  the 
first  essential  before  using  them.  The  system  to  be  employed  in  storing, 
arranging,  and  indexing  an  aggregate  of  many  thousand  maps  and 
charts  differs  entirely  from  that  pursued  in  book  libraries.  The  charge 
of  compiling  new  maps  and  of  tracing  copies  for  the  Library  and  for  indi- 
viduals, which  would  be  cardinal  features  in  such  a  library,  is  totally  for- 
eign to  the  sphere  of  a  general  librarian.  It  would  be  incumbent  on  the 
head  of  this  department  to  maintain  correspondence  with  geographical 
.societies,  with  explorers,  and  with  map  publishers,  all  of  which  could 
only  be  done  by  a  geographer.  Moreover,  it  would  be  highly  desirable 
that  an  annual  report  on  the  progress  of  geographical  discovery  and 
science  should  be  submitted  to  Congress  for  the  benefit  of  all  who  are 
interested  in  this  important  branch.     All  care  should  be  exercised  in  pro- 


346  DEVELOPINIENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,   1 85 2-1 864. 

curing  prompt  information  on  such  dawning  and  passing  events  as  involve 
geographical  elements,  by  corresponding  with  Avell-infonned  authorities, 
by  collecting  and  studying  the  publications  bearing  thereon,  and  by 
maintaining  a  complete  reference  index  in  as  perfect  a  condition  as 
practicable. ' 

This  memorial  was  presented  in  tlie  Senate  March  30,  1854, 
by  Mr.  Bverett,  with  the  following  remarks: 

This  is  a  very  able  memorial,  and  presents  in  a  very  striking  light  the 
importance  of  and  the  necessity  for  such  an  establishment.  It  is  signed 
by  the  Superintendent  of  the  Coast  Survey  (Professor  Bache);  by  the 
Superintendent  of  the  National  Observatory  (Ivieutenant  Maury);  by 
the  Chief  Engineer  (Colonel  Abert);  by  Colonel  Force,  of  this  city,  well 
known  for  his  acquaintance  with  this  subject;  by  General  Totteu;  by 
lyieutenant  Davis,  who  is  the  Superintendent  of  the  Nautical  Almanac; 
by  Professor  Guj^ot,  a  very  distinguished  geographer;  and  by  Mr.  E.  B. 
Hunt,  an  intelligent  officer  of  the  Engineers  of  our  Army  connected  with 
the  Coast  Survey.  I  will  not  take  up  the  time  of  the  Senate  by  dilating 
upon  the  importance  of  the  subject,  but  I  move  the  reference  of  the 
memorial  to  the  appropriate  committee,  which  is  the  Committee  on 
the  I^ibrar}'.- 

It  was  so  referred. 

Mr.  Hunt  had  proposed  the  establishment  of  a  geographical 
department  of  the  national  library.  Mr.  J.  G.  Kohl,  on  the 
other  hand,  desired  to  begin  with  a  cartographical  depot  to 
which  a  small  library  might  be  added  as  subsidiary  merely.' 

Congress,  however,  profited  by  neither  suggestion,  and  the 
national  collection  of  maps,  like  that  of  manuscripts,  remained 
in  an  inchoate  state. 

One  of  the  first  signs  of  a  recognition  of  the  importance  of 
newspapers  was  the  vote  of  the  committee  January  16,  1836, 
that  the  newspapers  of  Washington  City  not  yet  taken  be 
subscribed  for  by  the  Librarian.  After  the  fire,  however, 
these  and  other  files,  including  complete  files  of  the  Natioital 
Intelligencer  and  of  the  Richmond  Enquirer^  had  to  be 
replaced.     February  2, 1852,  a  file  of  the  Philadelphia  Aurora 

'Norton's  Literary  Gazette,  new  series,  1:  189,  April  15,  1854. 

^  Congressio7ial  Globe,  33 :  789. 

3  Substance  of  a  lecture  delivered  at  the  Smithsonian  institution  on  the  plan  of  a 
cartographical  depot  for  the  history  and  geography  of  the  American  continent. 
Washington,  1856.  i  p.  1.,  93-146  pp.  8°.  Reprinted  from  the  Smithsonian  report 
for  1856.  These  lectures  were  printed  in  full  in  the  National  Intel/igeftcer  Sep- 
tember 9,  1856,  etc. 


LIBRARY   STAFF   AND   AGENTS.  347 

was  purchased;  April  19,  files  of  the  National  Intelligencer 
and  of  the  Boston  Ce7itinel ;  March  23,  1854,  a  file  of  the 
Paris  Moniteur.  There  was  also  a  file  of  the  London  Gazette, 
1665  to  1846,  and  a  file  of  the  Londo7i  Times,  but  as  Poore 
observed/  no  New  York  newspapers,  and  though  the  London 
Court  Journal  was  regularly  received  and  bound  at  the  end  of 
each  year,  the  only  American  magazine  taken  was  Dc  Bow's 
Revieiv.  The  difficulty  in  getting  periodicals  as  periodicals, 
particularly  those  published  in  Europe,  is  illustrated  by  the 
Librarian's  complaint  that  the  Hamden  express  had  charged 
$1.50  for  the  carriage  of  a  number  of  the  Edinbiirgh  Review 
to  Washington,  besides  i2>^  cents  for  its  delivery  at  the 
Library.^  • 

LIBRARY   STAFF   AND   AGFNTS. 

When  Librarian  Meehan  came  into  office  in  1829  he  was 
allowed  one  assistant.  The  office  of  second  assistant  libra- 
rian was  created  by  the  act  of  March  3,  1841;  the  office  of 
third  assistant  librarian  by  the  act  of  March  3,  1855.  ^y 
the  act  of  March  2,  1831,  a  messenger  was  also  added  to  the 
staff;  by  the  act  of  July  27,  1861,  two  laborers,  and  by  the 
act  of  June  25,  1864,  one  laborer. 

The  office  of  Librarian  was  held  by  Mr.  Meehan  until  May 
24,  1 86 1.  Upon  the  accession  of  President  Pierce  in  1853,  a 
rumor  was  started  by  the  Ports^nonth  (N.  H.)  Chronicle  that 
Librarian  Meehan  was  to  be  displaced  in  favor  of  Samuel  B. 
Cones,  esq.,  of  that  city,^  whereat  the  Washington  News  on 
the  following  day  observed: 

As  we  have  no  knowledge  of  Mr.  Coues,  personal  or  otherwise,  we 
have  nothing  to  say  either  for  or  against  this  appointment,  but  we  do 
regret  that  so  excellent  a  citizen  as  Mr.  Meehan,  of  whom  we  have 
never  heard  an  evil  word  spoken  for  more  than  twenty  years  by  members 

'Reminiscences,  i:  387-388;  note  Meehan  to  Everett,  March  23,  1843.— I^ibrary  of 
Congress  MSB.  The  Intelligencer  was  purchased  from  the  Washington  City  Hbrary 
at  the  subscription  price  of  ^lo  per  volume.  The  I^ibrarian  expected  to  pay  for 
newspaper  files  the  subscription  price;  periodicals  he  expected  to  get  for  less.  — 
Meehan  to  Pearce,  March  23,  1857.  The  file  of  the  London  Gazette  had  been 
intended  for  Windsor  Ca.stle. 

"Meehan  to  O.  Rich,  May  16,  1844. 

^National  Intelligencer,  May  ?o,  1853.     See  also  Meehan  to  Pearce,  May  30,  1853. 


348  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

of  Congress  or  citizens  of  any  party,  should  be  deprived  of  a  valuable 
ofl&ce,  the  duties  of  which  he  has  so  acceptably  discharged. 

Again  iipon  the  accession  of  President  Buchanan,  Donald 
Macleod  wrote  to  Bliza  Watterston,  daughter  of  the  former 
Librarian.' 

Irving  Pi^ace,  Ne;w  York, 

March  ip,  1837. 
*  5K  *  Entre  nous,  my  application  for  the  office  of  Librarian  of 
Congress  has  been  placed  before  the  President.  I  also  took  occasion, 
as  I  could  not  see  him  again  before  leaving  Washington,  to  leave  a  note 
alluding  to  days  of  ' '  auld  lang  syne ' '  and  very  delicately  to  yourself, 
our  common  friend.  I  mention  this  in  case  he  should  mention  the 
circumstance  in  your  first  interview.     -!'•     -^^     ^"^ 

Nothing  came  of  these  changes  of  administration.  But 
with  the  accession  of  President  Lincoln,  Librarian  Meehan, 
being  regarded  as  a  Southern  sympathizer,  was  removed 
from  office  and  his  place  filled  by  Dr.  John  G.  Stephenson, 
who  held  the  office  until  December  31,  1864,  when  he  was 
succeeded  by  Mr.  Spoiford. 

The  salary  attached  to  the  office  of  Librarian  at  the 
beginning  of  this  period  was  $1,500.  By  the  act  of  August 
4,  1854,  it  was  increased  to  $1,800,  and  by  the  act  of  March  3, 
1855,  to  $2,160. 

The  office  of  first  assistant  librarian  was  held  by  H.  J. 
Hume  for  a  year  only  apparently,  for  in  1830  K.  B.  Stelle 
was  restored  to  the  position  and  held  it  until,  in  the  political 
revolution  of  1 861,  he  was  displaced  by  Ainsworth  R.  Spofford. 

The  salary  of  the  office  of  first  assistant  librarian  was  by 
vote  of  the  committee,  January  12,  1833,  increased  to  $1,150. 
This  was  confirmed  by  the  act  of  Augiist  26,  1842;  by  the 
act  of  August  4,  1854,  the  salary  of  the  assistant  librarians 
was  increased  to  $1,500,  and  by  the  acts  of  March  3,  1855, 
and  May  15,  1856,  to  $1,800. 

Before  the  creation  of  the  office  of  second  assistant  libra- 
rian the  committee  had  voted  (February  12, 1833)  that  C.  H.  W. 
Meehan  (the  Librarian's  son)  be  employed  as  assistant  in  the 
Library,  at  $1.50  per  day  during  the  Congressional  sessions, 
and  the  act  of  May  9,  1836,  provided  $398  for  his  services  at 

'Watterston  MSS. 


LIBRARY  STAFF   AND   AGENTS.  349 

this  rate  from  December  2,  1833,  to  March  4,  1835,  Sundays 
excepted.  Like  appropriations  were  made  for  this  office  by 
the  acts  of  March  3,  1837,  and  April  6,  1838.  Finall}^,  the 
act  of  March  3,  1841,  made  the  position  permanent,  at  a 
salary  of  $1,150  per  annum,  commencing  December  i,  1840; 
increased   to  $1,500  August  4,  1854,  and   $1,800  March  3, 

1855.' 
Before  the  creation  of  the  office  of  third  assistant  librarian 

the  committee  ordered,  April  6,  1854,  that  Charles  W.  Hin- 
man  be  employed,  at  a  salary  of  $1,150,  to  be  paid  from  the 
contingent  fund,  beginning  March  i,  1854;  the  salary  was 
increased  to  $1,500  August  4,  1854,  and  to  $1,800  March  3, 
1855,  at  which  time  the  office  was  established  by  law.  Mr. 
Hinman  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  L.  L.  Tilden  in  1861,  and  Mr. 
Tilden  was  succeeded  in  1862  by  Mr.  George  A.  Morris,  a 
former  resident  of  Cincinnati,  like  Mr.  Spofford,  and  libra- 
rian of  the  Young  Men's  Mercantile  Library  Association  in 
that  city.' 

The  salary  of  the  messenger,  by  the  act  of  March  2,  1831, 
was  $500  per  annum.  On  the  25th  of  February,  1832,  how- 
ever, the  committee  voted  that  he  be  allowed,  out  of  the  con- 
tingent fund,  $150  in  addition  to  his  regular  salary  for  that 
year  and  the  year  previous;  on  the  27th  of  March,  1834,  it 
voted  that  his  annual  salar}^  be  $700.  This  was  confirmed 
by  the  act  of  August  26,  1842.  It  was  increased  to  $1,200 
by  the  act  of  August  4,  1854,  and  to  $1,440  by  the  act  of 
March  3,  1855. 

On  the  28th  of  January,  1842,  the  following  minute  regard- 
ing labor  was  entered  in  the  records  of  the  committee: 

The  Committee  on  the  Library  believe  that  in  addition  to  the  pay 
recommended  for  the  messenger  of  the  Library,  that  officer  should  be 
allowed  also,  during  the  session  of  Congress  and  for  a  month  or  two 
before,  and  at  the  short  session  a  month  or  two  after,  a  reasonable  com- 
pensation for  the  expense  he  is  obliged  to  be  at  for  labor  to  provide  for 
fires,  etc.,  which  the  committee  understand  is  about  $25  per  month,  or 
whatever  it  may  be  shown  to  be. 

Ordered,  That  a  copy  of  the  foregoing  minute  be  sent  to  the  Com- 
mittee on  Ways  and  Means. 

'See  Minutes,  July  7,  1840;  I-ebruarj'  15,  1841. 
*  Washington  Chronicle,  October  12,  1862. 


350  DEVELOPMENT  OF   THE   LIBRARY,  I S5 2-1 864. 

On  the  /til  of  February,  1844,  the  committee  ordered  that 
a  bo}'-  be  em.ployed  to  make  fires  and  do  the  chars  of  the  law 
room  during  the  sessions  of  Congress,  at  a  compensation  of 
$10  per  month.  ]ii[y  27,  1854,  $1.25  per  day  was  voted  for  a 
laborer  to  do  all  the  chars  of  the  L-ibrary.  June  12,  i860, 
$1.25  per  day  was  voted  for  an  additional  laborer  to  do  the 
chars  in  the  law  library  during  the  session  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  and  for  two  weeks  before  and  two  weeks  after  each 
session  of  the  court.  Finally,  the  act  of  July  27,  1861,  pro- 
vided regularly  for  these  two  laborers,  at  a  salary  of  $500  each 
per  annum,  beginning  July  i,  1861.  One  laborer  was  em- 
ployed in  the  general  library,  the  other  in  the  law  department. 

The  position  of  financial  agent  of  the  Library  Committee 
was  filled  by  the  appointment  of  Thomas  L.  Smith,  Register 
of  the  Treasury,  to  that  ofl&ce  March  7,  1830.  The  business 
of  this  officer  was  to  pay  the  bills  of  the  Library  and  keep  and 
settle  its  accounts.  This  became  more  onerous  each  year  and 
finally,  Jul}^  9,  1838,  the  committee  voted  $250  per  annum  for 
the  services  of  the  financial  agent,  to  commence  January  i, 
1838. 

Mr.  Smith's  successors  in  the  office  of  financial  agent  of 
the  Library,  as  well  as  in  that  of  Register  of  the  Treasury, 
were  R.  H.  Gillett,  appointed  in  the  spring  of  1845,  ^lichael 
Nourse,  appointed  August  4,  1848,  Finley  Bigger,  appointed 
December  13,  i860,  and  Lucius  H.  Chittenden,  appointed 
July  19,  1 86 1,  giving  bond  in  $20,000. 

Book  agents  were  appointed  by  a  resolution  of  the  com- 
mittee, Ma}^  21,  1830 — PishejT^  Thompson  for  America,  and 
Obadiah  Rich  for  England;  these  agents  to  procure  and 
furnish  for  the  Library  all  such  books  as  were  ordered  from 
them,  they  procuring  such  books  on  the  best  terms  they 
could  obtain,  at  wholesale  prices,  and  delivering  the  same  in 
the  Library  at  the  prices  actually  paid  by  them  for  the  books, 
with  10  per  cent  thereon  for  their  compensation  including  all 
services,  profits,  and  expenses  of  transportation  or  otherwise.' 

The  position  of  agent  for  American  publications  was  thus 
occupied  by  Pishey  Thompson,  of  Washington,  until   1843, 

'Minutes,  February  16,  1843.  Wiley  &  Putnam  offered  to  supply  the  Library  with 
any  work  whatever  within  35  days  after  receiving  an  order  for  it.— Meehau  to  Rich, 
October  28,   1844. 


LIBRARY   STAFF  AND  AGENTS.  35^ 

when  he  returned  to  England.  He  was  succeeded  b}^  Mr. 
Franck  Taylor,  of  Washington,  who  served  the  Library  in 
this  capacity  from  February  i6,  1843,  ^^  January  7,  1863. 
The  position  of  agent  for  Knglish  publications  was  held  by 
Obadiah  Rich  until  his  death,  January  20,  1850.  He  was 
succeeded  by  the  firm  of  Rich  Brothers,  and  June  10,  1858, 
by  Edward  Allen.' 

The  position  of  agent  on  the  Continent  was  not  created 
until  after  the  establishment  of  the  line  of  steam  packets  to 
Ha\T-e  in  1847.  J^^^  ^7)  1842,  a  letter  had  been  received 
from  Hector  Bossange,  with  a  copy  of  his  catalogue,  tender- 
ing his  services  as  agent  for  purchasing  books  published  on 
the  Continent,  at  5  per  cent  commission,  very  low  terms, 
remarked  the  Librarian,  considering  the  interest  on  the  bills 
against  the  Library  for  the  months  that  necessarily  inter- 
vened between  supply  and  payment.^ 

This  offer  had  been  repeated  after  the  institution  of  the 
system  of  international  exchange,  \vith  this  modification,  that 
if  the  services  of  M.  Bossange  as  buyer  were  accepted  and 
compensation  made  therefor  at  a  small  percentage,  AL  Bos- 
sange would,  without  any  charge  whatever,  attend  to  the 
interchange  of  public  documents,  etc.,  for  the  Library,  with 
the  public  offices  in  France.  Whereupon  the  committee  voted 
that  the  chairman  be  authorized  to  make  arrangements  with 
M.  Bossange  for  the  purchase  of  French  books.'  These 
arrangements  were  completed  and  the  appointment  made 
July  27,  1854. 

Imported  books  were  consigned  by  the  European  agents  of 
the  Library  to  the  care  of  the  collector  at  New  York.  After 
1830  the  committee  had  an  agent  in  the  New  York  Custom 
House,  assigned  by  the  collector  to  look  after  importations. 
In  1847  ^^  was  given  a  formal  power  of  attorney: 

Know  all  men  by  these  presents  that  I,  John  S.  Meehan.  Librarian  of 
the  Congress  of  the  United  States  of  America,  have  constituted  and 

'The  compensation  for  their  services  just  after  the  fire  of  185 1,  i.  e.,  from  January 
26,  1852,  to  July  25,  1856,  was  reduced  from  10  to  5  per  cent  on  all  purchases  made 
by  them.  Messrs.  Rich  did  not  charge  a  commission  for  hooks  drawn  from  their 
own  stock. — Meehan  to  Pearce,  December  3,  1852. 

=  Meehan  to  Woodbridge,  October  19,  1S43;  November  3,  1843. 

^Minutes,  January  29,  1851. 


352  DEVELOPMENT  OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

appointed,  aud  by  these  presents  do  constitute  and  appoint  Edgar  Irving, 
of  New  York,  my  agent  and  attorney,  to  enter  bond  and  receive  anj'  and 
all  books  and  packages  imported  into  the  Port  of  New  York  from  foreign 
countries  for  the  Library  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  and  to 
transmit  said  books  to  me  at  Washington  City,  and  draw  upon  me  for 
the  duties  and  expenses  to  be  paid  out  of  the  appropriation  by  Congress 
for  said  Library.  This  authority  given  under  direction  of  the  Joint 
Library  Committee  of  Congress  and  in  \nrtue  of  my  office  as  Librarian. 
The  necessary  bond  to  be  in  my  name. 

Witness  mj^  hand  and  seal  at  the  Congressional  Library  in  the  Capitol, 
Washington,  April  23,  1847. 

[seal.]  John  S.  Meehan, 

Librarian  of  Congress. 

Witnesses — 

E.  B.  Stelle, 
Robert  Kearon. 

In  the  same  year  an  agent  was  appointed  in  the  Boston 
Custom  House  to  look  after  the  business  of  the  Library  there — 
periodicals  and  other  works  wanted  without  the  delay  attend- 
ing their  transmission  by  the  New  York  liners  being  sent 
by  the  Cunard  line  of  steamers  to  that  point.' 

THE   LIBRARY   SERVICE — CATALOGUING. 

Into  the  routine  of  the  Library  and  the  services  of  the 
Library  staff,  during  this  period,  we  have  some  interesting 
glimpses.  On  the  13th  of  July,  1854,  the  Librarian  reported 
that  a  case  of  books,  sent  to  the  Library  by  the  agents  of  the 
Library  Committee  in  London,  had  been  injured  by  falling 
into  the  river  at  Havre  de  Grace,  Md.,  while  in  charge  of 
Adams  &  Co.'s  Express.  On  the  26th  of  February,  1855,  the 
committee  received  a  letter  from  Adams  &  Co.,  in  relation  to 
the  books,  and  it  was  "  Ordered^  that  the  Librarian  be  author- 
ized to  settle  vrith  them  the  amount  to  be  paid  for  the  injured 
books."  July  25,  1856,  the  loss  of  this  case  of  books  being 
under  consideration  it  was  "  Ordered^  That  the  Librarian 
be  directed  to  consult  the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury  as  to  the 
legal  steps  to  be  taken  to  coerce  payment,  or  supply  the 
books."  The  Librarian  bought  books  as  opportunit}^  offered 
at  home,  at  auction  sales  or  otherwise.^     For  gifts  of  books  to 

'  Meehan  to  J.  W.  Arnold,  May  29,  June  4,  1847. 
'Minutes,  April  17,  1830. 


THE  LIBRARY   SERVICE.  353 

the  Library  a  copperplate  form  of  acknowledgment  was  ordered, 
January  3,  1834.  For  the  binding  of  books  the  Librarian 
was  made  responsible  by  resolutions  of  the  committee,  Decem- 
ber 30,  1829,  ^^^  Januar}^  9,  1830.  The  binding  was  gener- 
ally calf,  varied  occasionally  by  substantial  half  bindings  in 
calf,  morocco,  or  Russia  leather,  the  sides  of  muslin  marbled 
to  resemble  in  appearance  the  best  and  neatest  marbled 
papers/ 

For  the  convenience  of  readers  the  Librarian  was  instructed, 
Januar}'  9,  1830,  to  place  on  the  tables  the  latest  numbers  of 
periodicals  received  by  the  Library,  and,  May  8,  1844,  to  pur- 
chase cheap  paper,  to  be  supplied  to  persons  who  desired  to 
make  extracts  from  the  books  in  the  Library.  The  ser\^ice 
of  the  staff  to  the  Library  and  to  the  reader  was  not,  however, 
limited  to  these  activities.  The  absence  of  a  good  catalogue 
and  the  existence  of  the  iron  grating  in  front  of  the  shelves 
and  alcoves  made  the  services  of  the  members  of  the  Library 
staff  indispensable,  if  anything  whatever  w^as  to  be  done  by 
the  reader.  And,  as  the  following  testimonial  of  Caleb 
Atwater  will  show,  these  services  were  appreciated: 

Mr.  John  Meehan,  the  Librarian,  and  Edward  B.  Stelle,  C.  H.  W. 
Meehan,  and  Robert  Kearon,  his  assistants,  ' '  are  among  the  most 
poHte  and  agreeable  gentlemen  in  this  city  [Washington] .  They  are 
always  read 3^  to  attend  to  the  wishes  of  all  who  call  on  them.  Person- 
ally acquainted  with  nearly  all  who  call  at  their  room,  they  are  always 
ready  to  introduce  a  stranger  to  any  gentleman  who  is  in  the  room. 
Fatigued  as  they  sometimes  are  with  the  constant  labor  of  a  long  day, 
yet  they  never  complain  of  their  toil,  but  cheerfully  attend  to  all  the 
wants  of  the  visitors.  This  room  is  opened  very  early  in  the  morning, 
and  not  closed  until  a  late  hour.  If  any  oflScers  of  the  Government 
deserve  all  their  salaries  and  more  too,  they  are  the  Meehans,  father  and 
son,  Stelle,  and  Kearon.  Their  salaries  are  small  ones,  and  their  labors 
are  great  and  fatiguing  all  day  long,  during  the  whole  session  of  Con- 
gress. During  the  long  intervals  between  the  sessions  their  labors  are 
not  so  fatiguing,  but  they  are  even  then  constant,  unremitting,  and  use- 
ful to  the  visitors,  who  are  always  all  day  long  in  this  Librar^^  Having 
known  these  gentlemen  fourteen  years  and  upward  in  their  present  sta- 
tions, I  take  a  real  pleasure  in  bearing  this  testimony  in  their  favor.' 

'  Meehan  to  Bossange,  March  29,  1853. 

'Mysteries  of  Washington  City  during  several  months  of  the  session  of  the  Twenty- 
eighth  Congress.  By  a  citizen  of  Ohio.  Washinj^on,  1844,  pp.  73-74.  There  is  a 
pleasant  notice  of  Kearon  in  the  Huntress^  December  14,  1S39. 

23399—04 23 


354  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

During  the  period  18 29-1 861  four  general  catalogues  were 
issued — that  is,  one  every  ten  years.  Bach  of  these,  except 
the  first,  was  accompanied  by  a  special  catalogue  of  the  law 
library  reprinted  from  the  general  catalogue,  and  each  was 
supplemented  by  annual  catalogues  of  accessions  to  the 
Library.  The  first  of  these  general  catalogues,  that  of  1830, 
was  compiled  by  merely  cutting  up  the  catalogue  of  181 5  and 
its  three  supplements  and  rearranging  the  titles.  It  followed 
the  classification  of  the  Jefferson  catalogue  and  even  preserv^ed 
its  typographical  errors.  It  was  an  improvement  upon  the 
old  catalogue  in  onl}^  one  respect — it  indicated  at  the  head  of 
each  chapter  the  number  of  the  alcove  in  which  it  was  located, 
so  that  with  the  aid  of  a  printed  catalogue  a  stranger  might 
at  once  obtain  the  object  of  his  search  without  reference  to  the 
Librarian.  This  improvement  excited  the  applause  of  the 
Telegraph  (January  11,  1831). 

The  catalogue  of  1840  was  even  worse.  It  necessarily 
became  worse  and  worse  the  larger  the  Librar}^  became.  It 
did  not  contain  the  feature  of  the  catalogue  of  1830  which 
had  aroused  the  admiration  of  the  Telegraph.  Wheatley 
describes  it  as  a  typical  specimen  of  bad  work.  "The  index 
of  authors  in  it,"  he  says,  "contains  such  vague  references 
that  in  some  cases  you  have  to  turn  over  as  many  as  ']o 
pages  to  find  the  book  to  which  you  are  referred.  The  third 
entry  in  the  index,  for  example,  is  'Abd}^,'  and  the  reference 
'xxix,  215,  i.'  'xxix'  applies  to  the  class,  which  is  geogra- 
phy. The  title  is  to  be  found  in  section  v,  America,  so 
that  actually  70  pages  of  the  catalogue  have  to  be  glanced 
through  before  the  work  of  Abd}^  can  be  found.'" 

There  was  but  one  Abdy,  but  there  were  man}-  Smiths. 
The  index  entry  for  Smith  was  as  follows:   "Smith  i,  84,  84b, 

169;    III,  165b,    181;    IV,  27a,   90,   91,    137,  177,    193,  238;    VIII, 

29;  ^^,  9)  15)  20;  XII,  8,  8a,  43,  80;  xiii,  7c,  22e;  xv,  44,  74, 

164a;  XVI,  I,  168,  169,  174c;  XVII,  260,  262b,  284a;  XXIV,  64, 
370a,  380b,  405,  406,  407,  445,  460,  470,  471,  474,  594;  XXV, 
24a;  XXIX,  103a,  550,  554,  807a;  XXXII,  12b;  XXXVI,  62;  XLI, 

i6a;  XLiii,  18;  XLiv,  134a,  143."     So  that  if  one  desired  to 

'H,  B.  Wheatley,  How  to  catalogue  a  library  (1889),  p.  18. 


CATALOGUING   OF  THE   LIBRARY.  355 

ascertain  whether  the  Library  contained  Charles  Hamilton 
Smith's  "Ancient  costumes  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland," 
which  was  classed  in  chapter  29,  Geography,  section  2, 
Europe,  with  the  bookmark  xxix,  807a,  he  would  have  to 
go  through  mau}^  times  70  pages  before  he  discovered  the 
object  of  his  quest. 

The  catalogues  of  1849  ^^^  ^^^^  were  no  better,  except 
that  they  dropped  this  poor  author  index, — a  questionable 
improvement. 

On  the  other  hand,  as  they  became  larger  and  as  an  author 
catalogue  more  useless,  they  became  more  expensive.  The 
catalogue  of  1840  cost  $1,673,'  ^^^^  ^f  1849  ^^^^  $2,000,-  and 
that  of  1 86 1  cost  $4,000.^  And  in  these  sums  are  not  included 
those  expended  upon  the  supplementar}^  catalogues,  which 
were  also  becoming  each  year  more  and  more  expensive. 

The  necessity  for  an  improved  and  less  expensive  catalogue 
led  to  an  interesting  correspondence  in  the  National  Intel- 
ligencer^ which  we  must  reproduce.  The  author  of  these 
letters  on  cataloguing  was  not  the  former  Librarian,  as  some 
thought,  but  another  gentleman.  The  correspondence  was 
as  follows : 

Messrs.  Editors: 

Will  3'ou  allow  me  to  avail  myself  of  the  medium  of  5-our  paper  to 
offer  a  few  suggestions  which  may  be  found  not  unconducive  to  public 
utility  ? 

I  am  led  to  understand  that  it  is  in  contemplation  to  give  a  new  cata- 
logue of  the  Congress  Library.  Such  an  improvement  is  much  called 
for.  In  the  first  place,  the  supplements  to  the  present  catalogue  are 
growing  much  too  numerous  and  embarrassing;  but  by  far  the  most 
important  reason  for  an  entirely  new  catalogue  is  the  very  imperfect 
character  of  the  present  one.  The  principle  on  which  it  is  framed  is 
defective,  not  to  say  preposterous.  It  is  one  of  the  various  modes  that 
have  been  devised  for  facility  of  reference,  but  which  has  been  aban- 
doned as  defeating  its  own  purpose.  The  old  alphabetical  plan  has  been 
returned  to  in  drawing  up  the  catalogues  of  the  principal  libraries  in 
Europe,  as  being  found,  after  all,  the  most  simple  and  effective.  In  the 
face  of  such  examples,  it  is  matter  of  surprise  that  the  good  old  rule 
should  have  been  departed  from  in  forming  the  catalogues  of  the  Con- 

'Acts  of  July  7,  1838,  and  September  11,  1841. 
'Act  of  March  3,  1849. 
3  Act  of  March  3,  1857. 


356  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

gress  Library,  important  as  that  collection  is  in  richness  of  materials, 
though  not  numerically  imposing.  The  method  followed  has  been  the 
very  dif&cult  one  of  a  classification  of  the  subject-matter — a  method  fre- 
quently doubtful,  and  always  perplexed  and  embarrassing,  and  which  is 
followed  by  a  list  of  authors,  attempted  to  be  adapted  to  it.  Now,  let 
but  the  inverse  order  be  followed,  and  all  will  be  found  lucid  and  har- 
monious; and  of  this  order  a  masterly  exemplification  will  be  found  in 
Watt's  Bibliotheca  Britannica,  of  which  there  will  be  found  a  copy  in 
the  Library.  Nothing  can  be  more  simple  and  inartificial,  and  3^et  noth- 
ing more  lucid  and  satisfactory.  Let  the  body  of  the  catalogue  be 
purely  alphabetical,  ranging  anonymous  works  under  their  respective 
heads  and  dates.  To  this  may  be  appended  a  synoptical  table  of  classifi- 
cation according  to  subject-matter,  comprising  merely  the  names  of  the 
authors,  a  reference  to  which  in  the  body  of  the  catalogue  will  be 
immediate  and  unerring. 

As  new  accessions  are  continually  making  to  the  I^ibrary,  in  order  to 
obviate  the  necessity  of  often  renewing  the  catalogue,  let  the  example 
of  the  British  Museum  be  followed;  let  a  copy  of  the  catalogue  be  pasted 
in  one  or  more  blank  folio  volumes  of  substantial  paper,  leaving  every 
other  page  blank  to  receive  new-coming  authors,  who  will  find  their 
proper  alphabetical  position  opposite  the  respective  printed  names. 
Such  interlined  catalogue  should  be  kept  in  one  conspicuous  place  in  the 
Library  for  general  reference. 

Hoping  that  these  hints,  which  are  the  result  of  some  experience, 
may  be  found  practically  useful, 

I  am,  gentlemen,  yours,  etc.,  W. 

November  10,  1837.' 


Messrs.  Editors: 

I  have,  among  others,  to  acknowledge  r^y  obligation  to  your  corre- 
spondent under  the  signature  of  W.  for  the  excellent  hints  thrown  out 
by  him  relative  to  the  best  method  of  accomplishing  that  important 
object,  a  good  Library  catalogue.  He  says  that  the  information  com- 
municated by  him  is  the  result  of  some  practical  experience.  I  am  sure 
that  every  one  who  has  read  his  communication  will  give  him  full  credit 
for  his  assertion,  but  as  they  were  merely  hints,  and  as  he  did  not  stop 
to  particularize,  I  would  beg  leave  to  trespass  on  his  kindness  by  pro- 
posing one  or  two  queries  for  my  practical  guidance. 

He  speaks  of  a  "printed  catalogue  to  be  pasted  on  one  or  more  folio 
volumes  of  blank  paper,  and  the  blank  pages  to  be  kept  open  for  the 
insertion  of  additional  works."  Would  he  oblige  me  by  giving  some 
more  specific  particulars  of  a  method  which  must  be  important  if  adopted 
in  the  great  European  libraries  mentioned  by  him? 

He  also  says  that  in  cataloguing  anonymous  works,  one  of  the  most 
difficult  tasks  in  the  operation,  they  should  be  entered  according  to  the 
^National  Intelligencer,  November  13,  1837. 


CATALOGUING  OF  THE  LIBRARY.  357 

subject  and  date.  As  I  can  not  clearly  see  how  this  is  to  be  done  with- 
out militating  against  the  very  rule  laid  down,  of  clearness,  and  more 
particularly,  of  succinctness^  will  he  also  oblige  me  by  specifying  the 
manner  in  which  this  is  to  be  done? 

Such  are  the  queries  on  which  I  would  solicit  him  to  throw  some  fur- 
ther light,  and  in  doing  which,  at  least  as  far  as  I  am  concerned,  your 
correspondent  would  be  carrying  out  his  wish  to  be  useful. 


Messrs.  Editors: 

Happy  at  all  times  in  having  it  in  my  power  to  be  useful,  and  par- 
ticularly when  a  favorite  subject  is  in  question,  I  hasten  to  respond  to 
the  queries  put  to  me  by  your  correspondent  "  L. " 

In  the  first  place,  with  respect  to  the  folio  catalogue  of  the  Library  of 
the  British  Museum,  it  is  constructed  as  follows:  On  each  rigJit  hand 
page  of  a  folio  volume  of  substantial  paper  is  pasted  in  the  centre  of  the 
page  a  leaf  of  the  ordinary  catalogue,  which  is  of  the  octavo  size.  The 
page  opposite  being  left  blank  all  addenda  to  the  Library  are  entered 
on  it,  as  nearly  as  possible  opposite  the  corresponding  name  in  the 
printed  page.  For  instance,  in  the  printed  page  is  found  Smith,  J.; 
should  any  new  work  by  a  J.  Smith  be  added  to  the  Library,  it  is 
entered  in  the  blank  page  opposite  this  name,  and  consequently  presents 
a  ready  means  of  reference. 

N.  B. — The  blank  folio  page  may  be  divided  into  two  columns,  which 
will  allow  room  for  ample  additions;  should  the  page  become  filled,  there 
should  be  a  reference  to  an  addenda  page  at  the  end  of  the  volume, 
carrying  on  the  letter. 

Another  useful  hint  that  may  be  taken  from  the  catalogue  of  the 
British  Museum  is  the  following:  With  a  view  to  bring  together  as  far  as 
possible,  under  one  point  of  view,  all  that  appertains  to  a  given  author, 
not  only  the  different  editions  should  be  specified  (and  that  in  chrono- 
logical order),  but  also  the  names  of  translators,  commentators,  etc., 
though  their  works  are  found  under  their  respective  headings;  for 
instance,  under  the  head  Homer,  after  an  enumeration  of  the  various 
editions  of  his  work,  should  appear:  See  Ogilvie,  Pope,  McPherson, 
Cowper,  Southeby,  Wolf,  Coleridge,  etc.  The  value  of  this  to  the 
.student  is  far  greater  than  appears  at  the  first  view. 

With  respect  to  the  anonymous  works,  they  should,  as  I  observed 
before,  be  classed  under  the  respective  heads  of  their  subject-matter,  and 
according  to  the  order  of  date,  as,  for  instance: 


Poetry — Love's  Mystrie  and  Sondrie  Sonnettes, 

8vo. 

1496 

The  Shepherde's  Teares, 

i2mo. 

1575 

Flowers  of  Helicone, 

i2mo. 

1606 

Miscellaneous  Poems, 

i8mo. 

1712 

"^  National  Intelligencer,  November  17,  1837. 


358  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

And  so  on  through  all  the  different  headings  found  in  the  well-arranged 
synoptical  table,  by  which  the  present  catalogue  of  the  Congress  Library 
is  prefaced. 

By  the  way,  while  speaking  of  this  excellent  table  my  suggestion 
would  be  to  retain  it  in  the  new  catalogue,  and,  exactly  in  the  inverse 
ratio  to  the  present  catalogue,  range  the  names  of  the  authors  alphabet- 
ically under  each  heading,  so  that  the  classification  of  subject-matter  may 
exist  as  perfect  as  in  the  present  catalogue. 

Another  advantage  of  this  arrangement  is  that  it  furnishes  a  chrono- 
logical list  of  subject-matter  highly  valuable  to  the  curious. 

Before  concluding,  there  is  another  suggestion  which  I  would  beg 
leave  to  offer.  It  would  be  found  highly  conducive  to  mutual  interests, 
that,  as  in  Europe,  so  throughout  the  Union,  a  correspondence  should  be 
maintained  between  the  different  librarians;  so  that  if,  as  frequently 
happens,  some  library  is  in  possession  of  duplicates  of  rare  and  valuable 
works,  such  duplicate  may  be  exchanged  for  some  other  duplicate  pos- 
sessed by  that  establishment.  Such  an  arrangement  would  be  found 
of  great  reciprocal  advantage,  and  highly  conducive  to  the  interests  of 
letters. 

W.' 

This  correspondence  seems  to  have  had  no  immediate  effect 
upon  the  cataloguing  of  the  Library.  But  with  the  coming 
of  Professor  Jewett  to  Washington  and  the  initiation  of  his 
plan  of  cooperative  cataloguing  a  reform  was  at  last  inaugu- 
rated, and  after  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Spofford,  accomplished  in 
the  author  catalogue  of  1864.  A.  part  only  of  the  history  of 
this  movement  may  be  given  in  this  place;  the  remainder  will 
be  given  in  a  following  chapter. 

In  1850  Professor  Jewett  said  in  his  "Notices  of  public 
libraries"  (p.  139):  "The  Library  of  Congress  is  one  of  great 
value,  and  is  worthy  of  a  minute  and  accurate  catalogue,  one 
in  which  every  book,  pamphlet,  map,  handbill,  speech,  and 
important  article  in  a  review  or  magazine  should  be  entered 
carefull}^  and  accurately  under  the  name  of  its  author,  and 
alphabetical  and  analytical  indexes  of  subjects  should  be 
made;  it  should  be  a  model  performance,  but  it  should  not, 
of  course,  be  required  from  the  present  force  employed  in 
the  Library,  which  is  not  sufficient  for  the  regular  work  of 
the  establishment.  The  making  of  a  catalogue  should  be  a 
separate  affair." 

^  National  Intelligencer,  November  24,  1837. 


CATALOGUING  OF  THE   LIBRARY.  359 

In  an  address  before  the  American  Association  for  the 
Advancement  of  Science  in  the  same  year'  he  called  attention 
also  to  the  cumbersomeness  of  the  system  of  catalogue  sup- 
plements. The  supplements  to  the  last  general  catalogue  of 
the  Library  of  Congress  numbered  nine.  The  student  was 
thus  obliged  to  grope  his  way  through  ten  catalogues  instead 
of  one  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  the  book  which  he 
sought  was  or  was  not  in  the  Library.  And  he  could  not 
be  certain  even  then  that  the  book  was  not  in  the  collection, 
for  it  might  have  been  received  since  the  last  supplement 
was  printed. 

The  commission  appointed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution  to  which  Professor  Jewett's  plan  for  cata- 
loguing was  submitted  made  a  report  October  26  1850,  which 
concluded  as  follows:^ 

In  order  that  a  beginning  may  be  made  in  the  execution  of  the  plan, 
under  circumstances  highly  favorable  to  its  success,  the  undersigned 
take  the  hberty  of  suggesting  that  it  would  be  advisable  for  the  Regents 
of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  to  obtain  the  requisite  authority  to  pre- 
pare a  catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress  on  the  above-described  plan. 
A  catalogue  of  this  Library  is  now  very  much  wanted.  Originally  con- 
structed on  a  defective  plan,  and  continued  by  the  publication  of  a  large 
number  of  supplements,  it  is  now  almost  useless,  and,  as  the  Library- 
increases,  it  becomes  daily  more  so.  The  preparation  of  an  alphabetical 
catalogue  has  in  this  way  become  a  matter  of  absolute  necessity  for  the 
Library  itself,  while  it  affords  the  best  opportunity  for  commencing  an 
arrangement  by  which  the  various  libraries  of  the  country^  will  be 
brought  into  a  mutually  beneficial  connection  with  each  other  on  the 
plan  proposed  by  Professor  Jewett. 

The  undersigned  consider  the  permanent  superintendence  of  this  plan 
to  be  an  object  entirely  within  the  province  of  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion. They  are  satisfied  that  it  will  tend  both  to  the  increase  and 
diffusion  of  knowledge,  and  they  therefore  hope  that  the  sanction  of  the 
Regents  and  of  Congress  will  be  given  to  the  undertaking. 

The  Library  of  Congress,  it  was  felt,  could  bear  the  cost  of 
the  first  collection  of  stereotyped  titles  better  than  any  other 
library.     Moreover,  it  was  desirable  that  the  first  catalogue 

'This  address  was  printed  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  association  and  reprinted  with 
the  title,  A  plan  for  stereotyping  catalogues  by  separate  titles,  and  for  forming  a 
general  stereotyped  catalogue  of  public  libraries  in  the  United  States.  By  Charles 
C.  Jewett.     Washington,  1851.     14  p.     8°. 

=■  Charles  C.  Jewett,  On  the  construction  of  catalogues  of  libraries,  1852,  pp.  77-78. 


360  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

should  be  prepared  near  the  Institution,  where  the  work  could 
be  more  conveniently  supervised  and  rendered  accurate.  Nor 
would  it  be  necessary  on  this  plan  to  finish  the  preparation 
of  the  entire  catalogue  before  beginning  to  print  it.  The 
stereotyping  might  commence  with  the  cataloguing,  and 
the  catalogue  might  begin  with  any  part  of  the  L-ibrary.  The 
catalogue  might  thus  be  published  in  parts,  each  containing 
the  books  on  a  particular  subject,  and  these  parts  afterwards 
be  combined  to  form  a  complete  catalogue,  either  alphabetical 
or  classed.  The  stereotype  blocks  of  the  titles  would  be  pre- 
served in  the  Institution,  and  a  complete  annual  catalogue  of 
the  Library  furnished  at  a  cost  less  than  that  of  the  old 
decennial  catalogues.  The  same  titles  would  also  be  employed 
in  printing  the  catalogues  of  other  libraries,  and  the  new  titles 
which  might  be  prepared  for  these  would,  in  turn,  be  used 
without  charge  for  the  Library  of  Congress. 

Accordingly,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Regents  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution,  February  12,  1853,  the  following 
preamble  and  resolution  were  adopted: 

Whereas  a  plan  for  stereotyping  catalogues  by  separate  titles,  and  for 
preparing  and  printing  the  catalogues  of  the  various  libraries  in  the 
United  States  in  uniform  style  and  at  greatly  diminished  cost,  as  well  as 
for  forming  a  general  catalogue  of  all  these  libraries,  was  presented  to 
the  Smithsonian  Institution  and  referred  to  the  two  commissions — one 
to  report  upon  the  literary  advantages  of  the  plan  and  the  other  upon 
the  practicability  of  the  means  proposed  for  its  execution;  and 

Whereas  on  the  recommendation  of  these  commissions  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution  has  incurred  the  expense  of  procuring  type  and  appa- 
ratus, of  educating  workmen,  and  of  developing  and  perfecting  processes 
to  be  employed,  so  that  all  arrangements  are  now  made  for  the  successful 
prosecution  of  the  work;  and 

Whereas  the  first  commission  appointed  to  examine  the  plan,  in  their 
report,  recommended  that,  "In  order  that  a  beginning  might  be  made 
in  the  execution  of  the  plan  under  circumstances  highly  favorable  to  its 
success,  the  undersigned  take  the  liberty  of  suggesting  that  it  would  be 
advisable  for  the  Regents  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  to  obtain  the 
requisite  authority  to  prepare  a  catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress  on 
the  above-described  plan:  "  Therefore, 

Resolved,  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Institution  be  requested  to  call  the 
attention  of  the  Library  Committee  of  Congress  to  the  above-described 
plan,  to  inform  them  that  the  Institution  is  now  ready  to  execute  the 
proposed  work,  and  to  invite  their  cooperation  in  aid  of  an  enterprise  so 


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CATALOGUING   OF  THE   LIBRARY.  361 

important  to  the  Library  of  Congress,  to  all  the  libraries  in  the  country, 
and  to  the  great  object  of  this  Institution,  ' '  the  increase  and  diffusion 
of  knowledge. ' ' ' 

In  consequence,  on  the  3d  of  March,  1853,  the  Library 
Committee  ''''Resolved^  That  a  general  catalogue  of  the 
Library  of  Congress  be  prepared  upon  the  plan  recommended 
by  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  That  the  selection  of  a 
cataloguer  or  cataloguers,  be  left  to  the  determination  of  the 
Librarian  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution, 
and  that  a  contract  be  made  on  the  part  of  the  Library  Com- 
mittee, with  the  said  Institution,  in  accordance  with  the  plan 
submitted  to  the  committee,  and  that  the  Librarian  be  directed 
to  make  said  contract  with  the  approval  of  the  Chairman,  to 
whose  decision,  in  case  of  necessity,  reference  shall  be  had." 
And  on  the  3d  of  March,  1853,  Congress  appropriated  $3,000 
for  the  preparation  and  publication  of  the  catalogue. 

The  plan  met  with  equal  favor  among  librarians.  On  the 
1 6th  of  September  it  was  explained  by  Professor  Jewett^  to 
the  librarians  assembled  in  convention  in  New  York  in 
much  the  same  language  as  he  had  used  before  the  American 
Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science  two  years  before, 
and  on  motion  of  Mr.  Folsom  the  convention  passed  reso- 
lutions to  the  same  effect  as  those  passed  by  the  Association 
for  the  Advancement  of  Science,  as  follows: 

Resolved,  That  we  have  considered  attentivel}^  the  plan  for  con- 
structing catalogues  of  libraries,  and  a  general  catalogue  of  the  public 
libraries  of  the  United  States,  by  means  of  separate  stereotyped  titles 
originated  and  prepared  by  Professor  Jewett  and  developed  by  him 
while  librarian  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  That  we  regard  it  as 
an  object  of  high  importance  to  the  interests  of  our  public  libraries  and 
to  the  promotion  of  learning,  and  worthy  to  share  in  the  funds  of  the 
Institution  and  the  zealous  exertions  of  its  officers;  the  more  so  as  it  is 
an  enterprise  which  can  not  be  successfullj^  prosecuted  except  under 
the  guidance,  protection,  and  pecuniary  support  of  this  central  estab- 
lishment for  the  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge. 

Resolved,  That  we  have  learned  with  pleasure  that  Congress,  on  the 
recommendation    of    the    Library   Committee,    made    an    appropriation 

'Seventh  annual  report  of  the  Board  of  Regents  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution, 
p.  95;  Thirty-second  Congress,  second  .session,  Senate  miscellaneous  documents, 
No.  53,  March  i,  1853. 

^'This  is  reported  in  Nortoti's  Literary  Cazclte,  3:  173;  in  the  Literary  World, 
13:  154,  and  in  the  National  Intelligencer,  November  26,  1853. 


362  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  2852-1864. 

for  the  practical  testing  of  the  plan  in  its  application  to  the  Library  of 
Congress,  and  that  the  work  is  now  in  successful  progress. 

Resolved,  That,  as  practical  librarians  and  bibliographers,  we  take 
pride  and  satisfaction  in  the  fact  that  a  measure  of  so  great  literary 
utility  has  received  the  prompt  and  efficient  support  of  our  national 
legislatm-e ;  and  we  would  express  the  earnest  hope  that  this  support 
may  be  extended  to  it  liberally  till  its  first  great  result  in  the  complete 
stereotyped  catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress  shall  be  attained.' 

Work  upon  the  catalogue  had  been  begun  in  August,  1853. 
By  the  end  of  the  3^ear  6,000  volumes  had  been  catalogued, 
4,000  of  which  were  in  Chapter  I,  Ancient  history.  This 
part  was  then  published,  at  the  suggestion  of  the  chairman 
of  the  Library  Committee,  as  a  specimen  of  the  proposed  work. 
The  volume  was  entitled:  "Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress. Chapter  I.  Ancient  history.  Complete  to  January, 
1854.  Washington:  Stereotyped  and  printed  at  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  1854."  The  work  appeared  both  as  a 
manual  in  octavo,  and  as  a  reference  book  in  folio  in  double 
columns.  The  catalogue  being  intended  to  contain  a  full  and 
accurate  description  of  the  books  in  the  Librar}^,  ever}^  title 
was  as  far  as  possible  an  exact  transcript  of  the  original,  and 
notes  were  appended  where  essential.  The  book  also  con- 
tained cross  references  and  an  index  of  subjects,  A  general 
index  to  the  contents  of  the  Library  was  planned  to  supple- 
ment the  classed  catalogue. 

In  the  preparation  and  publication  of  this  catalogue,  how- 
ever, two-thirds  of  the  appropriation  had  been  expended. 
The  cataloguing  was  thus  costing  about  33/^  cents  a  volume, 
whereas  the  actual  outlay  upon  the  former  catalogues  of  the 
Library  had  not  exceeded  5  cents  per  volume.  To  meet  the 
objection  which  might  be  raised  on  this  score,  Professor  Jewett 
said  in  his  report  for  1853: 

It  is  obvious  that  the  cost  of  the  first  catalogue  will  be  greater  than  if 
it  were  not  stereotyped.  The  work  of  preparation  will  also  be  more 
expensive,  but  the  additional  cost  of  the  first  edition  will  be  more  than 
saved  in  the  reprinting  of  the  whole  catalogue.  It  will  be  further  under- 
stood that  the  sum  paid  by  the  first  library  is  not  only  for  its  own  benefit, 
but  for  that  of  every  other  Hbrary  hereafter  adopting  the  plan,  so  far  as 
its  books  are  the  same.     Congress  is,  therefore,  now  conferring  a  great 

'Eighth  annual  report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  p.  32;  Thirty-third  Con- 
gress, first  session,  House  miscellaneous  documents.  No.  97. 


CATALOGUING   OF  THE   LIBRARY.  363 

boou  upon  other  libraries,  while  at  the  same  time  it  is  taking  the  course 
the  most  economical  for  the  procuring  of  its  own  catalogue.     *     ^     * 

As  soon  as  the  catalogue  of  the  Librarj'  of  Congress  shall  be  completed, 
other  institutions,  and  even  individuals,  are  ready  to  avail  themselves  of 
the  scheme  for  procuring  their  catalogues.  Its  general  adoption — the 
crowning  point  of  all  our  efforts — seems,  therefore,  as  sure  as  the  com- 
pletion of  the  first  work.' 

On  the  31st  of  May,  1854,  $5,000  more  was  voted  for  this 
catalogue.  But  in  the  summer  Professor  Jewett  was  obliged 
to  resign  his  position  as  librarian  of  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion, and  though  his  work  w^as  carried  on  under  the  direction 
of  Professor  Jillson,  of  Brown  Universit}-,  and  some  9,654 
titles,  or  21,805  volumes,  catalogued  by  the   end  of  the  year 

1854,  no  more  of  the  catalogue  of  the  Librar}-  of  Congress  was 
printed  upon  this  plan.  In  his  report  for  1854,  dated  Feb- 
ruary 28,  1855,  the  Secretar}^  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution 
expressed  the  hope  that  an  additional  appropriation  would  be 
made  during  that  session  of  Congress  svtfficient  to  complete 
the  whole  catalogue.  The  Institution,  he  said,  would  then 
have  the  statistics  necessary  to  ascertain  the  cost  of  prepar- 
ing a  catalogue  of  this  kind,  and  the  means  necessary  to  give 
definite  information  in  reference  to  it  to  the  principal  libra- 
ries of  the  countr3^^  In  his  report  for  1855,  dated  Jul}^  24, 
1856,  Secretary  Henry  said  that  the  number  of  titles  prepared 
was  15,885,  with  7,949  cross  references,  the  whole  number  of 
volumes  catalogued  being  32,986.  This  number,  he  said, 
embraced  all  the  volumes  which  were  in  the  Library  at  the 
time  the  catalogue  was  commenced,  with  the  exception  of  the 
law  department,  the  bound  volumes  of  tracts,  and  some  incom- 
plete w^orks.  It  also  included  the  additions  made  in  the  gen- 
eral librar}'  to  Chapters  I,  II,  III,  and  IV,  previous  to  April, 

1855,  the  additions  to  the  different  chapters  previous  to  the 
time  they  were  catalogued,  and  at  least  one-half  of  the 
additions  made  during  the  past  year.  The  whole  amount 
expended  on  the  preparation  of  the  15,885  titles  was  $4,971.07, 
and  that  of  stereotyping  about  4,000  titles,  $2,974.91.     The 

'Eighth  annual  report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  pp.  31,  32. 
*Ninth  annual  report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  p.  23;  Thirty-third  Congress, 
second  session.  Senate  miscellaneous  documents.  No.  24. 


364  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

appropriations  made  by  Congress  were  therefore  exhausted, 
excepting  $54.02/ 

On  the  14th  of  November  the  American  Organ  announced 
that  the  printing  of  the  catalogue  of  the  Library  prepared 
upon  the  Smithsonian  plan  had  been  abandoned,  and  that  a 
catalogue  of  the  recent  accessions  prepared  upon  the  usual 
plan  was  in  press. 

The  catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress  published  in 
1 86 1  was  constructed  upon  the  same  plan  as  previous  general 
catalogues,  except  that  like  the  catalogue  of  1849  it  was  with- 
out the  poor  index  which  was  the  characteristic  feature  of  the 
catalogues  of  18 15,  1830,  and  1840.  The  scheme  of  classifi- 
cation was  also  modified  somewhat. 

In  the  "Alphabetical  catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress," published  in  1864,  the  one  desideratum  of  a  large 
library,  an  alphabetical  author  catalogue,  was  finally  secured. 
The  preface  to  this  volume  explained  this  departure  in  the 
cataloguing  of  the  Library  in  the  following  language: 

The  last  general  catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress  was  issued  in 
1 861,  and  embraced  the  accessions  to  the  close  of  the  year  1859.  Four 
general  catalogues,  besides  numerous  annual  supplements,  had  been 
published  preriously,  viz,  in  1815,  1831,  1839,  and  1849,  respectively. 
Since  the  last  issue,  in  1861,  nearly  twenty  thousand  volumes  have  been 
added  to  the  Library,  and  five  annual  supplements  to  the  catalogue 
have  been  issued.  To  consolidate  all  these  catalogues  into  a  single 
volume,  and  to  facilitate  reference  by  reducing  the  multifarious  alpha- 
bets of  former  general  catalogues  to  one  alphabetical  arrangement  is  the 
object  of  the  present  volume. 

All  former  general  catalogues  of  this  Library  have  been  arranged 
upon  a  system  of  classification  prepared  by  Thomas  Jefferson,  and  based 
upon  Lord  Bacon's  division  of  knowledge.  This  classification,  however 
well  adapted,  in  some  respects,  to  a  small  library,  like  that  of  Mr. 
Jefferson  when  adopted  in  181 5  as  the  basis  of  the  present  collection,  is 
wholly  unsuited  to  the  necessities  of  readers  consulting  a  large  library. 
It  was  never  designed  by  its  author  as  a  bibliographical  sj^stem,  but 
rather  as  a  scientific  arrangement  of  the  various  branches  of  human 
knowledge.  No  further  illustration  of  its  defects  need  be  given  than 
the  fact  that  in  the  last  catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress  the  titles 
are  distributed  through  a  series  of  179  distinct  alphabets,  arranged  in 
an  arbitrary  sequence,  and  without  an  index.     Few  readers  have  the 

'  Tenth  annual  report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  p.  31 ;  Thirty-fourth  Congress, 
first  session.  Senate  miscellaneous  documents.  No.  73. 


CATALOGUING   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  365 

leisure  and  fewer  still  the  inclination,  to  study  the  intricacies  of  such  a 
system  of  classification.  In  abandoning  it  for  a  more  simple  method, 
the  officers  of  the  Librar\-  are  assured  that  they  have  consulted  the 
convenience  as  well  as  the  wishes  of  Congress  and  of  other  frequenters 
of  the  Librar)\ 

In  the  arrangement  of  any  catalogue  of  books,  the  chief  desideratum, 
next  to  accuracy  of  description,  is  facility  of  reference,  and  to  this  end 
all  minor  considerations  should  be  sacrificed.  This  volume  embraces 
the  present  contents  of  the  Library-,  arranged  in  all  cases  under  the 
names  of  the  authors,  when  known,  anon^-mous  works  being  entered, 
for  the  most  part,  under  the  leading  word  of  the  subject  they  treat  of. 
This  method,  while  it  is  a  departure  from  the  more  uniform  rule  of 
entering  anonymous  works  under  the  first  word  of  the  title,  as  practiced 
by  some  bibliographers,  is  unquestionably  of  greater  utility  to  the  gen- 
eral reader,  and  is  not  without  high  bibliographical  authority. 

To  complete  the  plan  adopted,  the  present  alphabetical  catalogue  of 
authors  will  soon  be  followed  by  an  analytical  catalogue  of  subjects,  also 
arranged  alphabetically,  and  covering  the  whole  field  which  the  works 
embraced  in  the  present  volume  illustrate.  Those  consulting  the  Librarj^ 
will  thus  have  before  them  the  means  of  determining,  by  a  single  ref- 
erence, whether  the  Library  contains  any  work,  if  the  author's  name  is 
known;  and  also,  by  a  single  reference,  whether  it  contains  any  book  of 
which  the  subject  is  known. 

Library  of  Congress,  September,  186^. 

This  catalogue,  the  first  fruits  of  the  service  of  Mr. 
Spofford  on  the  staff  of  the  Library,  was  in  1869  supple- 
mented by  a  "Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress.  Index 
of  subjects,"  in  two  volumes.  Chronologically,  this  work 
does  not  belong  to  the  period  to  which  we  have  limited  our 
discussion,  but  as  it  was  an  essential  part  of  the  reform  in 
cataloguing  introduced  by  Mr.  Spofford  as  chief  assistant 
librarian,  we  must  present  the  preface  of  the  latter  work  in 
this  place  as  the  sequel  to  the  preface  of  the  former.  The 
preface  to  the  subject  catalogue  of  1869,  reads  as  follows: 

The  purpose  of  this  catalogue  is  to  afford  the  readiest  available  key  to 
the  books  upon  every  subject  which  the  Library  of  Congress  embraces. 
It  is  not  its  purpose  to  furnish  a  bibliographical  system,  nor  to  add 
another  to  the  numerous  existing  attempts  toward  the  classification  of 
human  knowledge.  In  any  such  classification  any  arrangement  except 
the  alphabetical  one  must,  from  the  nature  of  the  case,  be  purely  arbi- 
trary. While  ever}'  man  can  construct  a  system  which  sufficiently  suits 
himself,  it  is  commonly  found  that  it  is  clear  to  very  few  others.     The 


366  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

one  thing  needful  in  a  catalogue  of  subjects  is  instant  facility  of  refer- 
ence; and  if  a  scientific  arrangement  of  topics  is  sometimes  sacrificed  to 
this  end,  the  student  whose  time  is  saved  will  be  little  disposed  to 
quarrel  with  the  bridge  that  carries  him  safel}^  over. 

The  alphabetical  arrangement  of  topics  has  been  adopted  and  adhered 
to,  both  in  the  general  alphabet  and  under  each  subordinate  head,  with 
occasional  modifications  where  there  seemed  to  be  an  overruling  reason 
for  it.  This  method  has  one  undeniable  advantage  over  all  others — it  is 
its  own  interpreter.  The  alphabetical  arrangement  of  topics,  with  a 
sufficiently  copious  system  of  cross-references,  solves  every  difficulty  as 
soon  as  it  arises,  instead  of  keeping  the  reader  on  a  bafiled  search  for 
knowledge.     It  thus  fulfills  the  end  of  the  highest  utility. 

Some  catalogues  have  endeavored  to  accomplish  the  object  of  a 
systematic  index  by  grouping  the  names  of  authors  on  each  topic  as 
catch  words  in  an  alphabet  of  subjects,  placed  after  a  catalogue  of  authors, 
or  mingled  with  such  a  catalogue  in  the  same  alphabet.  This  system, 
while  it  is  unquestionably  better  than  none,  is  open  to  the  serious  objec- 
tion that  it  demands  from  every  reader  seeking  specific  information  a 
double  reference  for  each  work;  first  to  the  index  of  subjects  to  find  the 
topic,  and  next  to  the  index  of  authors  to  find  the  full  title  and  the  date 
of  the  work.  This  involves  a  considerable  loss  of  time  in  the  case  of 
each  work,  and  when  this  is  multiplied  by  all  the  books  to  be  consulted 
on  a  given  topic  the  delay  becomes  incalculable.  The  present  catalogue 
is  constructed  upon  the  principle  that  the  reader  is  entitled  to  find  all 
the  works  upon  any  topic  fully  described  under  that  topic,  and  by  a 
single  reference,  thus  saving  the  time  of  the  student  for  more  important 
investigations  than  catalogue  hunting. 

The  only  important  deviation  from  this  rule  consists  in  the  grouping 
of  subordinate  topics  under  the  general  class  to  which  they  belong. 
Thus  the  various  divisions  in  theology,  law,  and  medicine  will  be  found 
arranged  in  subordinate  alphabets  under  those  general  heads,  instead  of 
being  scattered  throughout  the  catalogue.  While  much  may  be  said  in 
favor  of  the  latter  arrangement,  it  is  believed  that  the  assemblage  of  all 
the  titles  belonging  to  a  given  subject,  along  with  their  related  topics, 
is  more  in  consonance  with  the  convenience  of  readers,  as  well  as  far 
more  suggestive  in  point  of  the  information  conveyed  by  the  catalogue. 
Especially  where  the  catalogue,  as  in  the  present  case,  extends  beyond 
a  single  volume,  the  synthetic  arrangement  under  a  comprehensive  head 
becomes  a  labor-saving  expedient  to  the  student,  who  is  thus  saved  the 
constant  turning  from  one  volume  to  another  in  his  investigation  of  one 
general  subject.  The  sole  objection  to  this  method  is  met  by  a  great  num- 
ber of  cross-references  from  particular  to  general  topics,  and  by  an  alpha- 
betical arrangement  of  subordinate  topics  under  their  general  head. 

The  imperfections  of  the  catalogue  are  many,  and  they  represent  not 
only  the  limitations  of  the  Library  which  is  here  catalogued,  but  defects 
of  plan  and  arrangement  which  would  have  been  obviated  by  more  time 


CLAvSSIFICATlON   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  367 

devoted  to  the  publication.  But  the  printing  of  some  kind  of  a  catalogue 
of  subjects  with  the  least  possible  delay  being  deemed  a  necessity,  these 
discrepancies  and  faults  of  execution  could  not  be  wholly  avoided.  The 
work  is  presented,  therefore,  as  but  an  approximation  to  a  thoroughly 
digested  index  of  subjects  which  it  is  hoped  to  issue  hereafter,  incorpo- 
rating the  numerous  valuable  accessions  to  the  lyibrary  which  have  been 
made  while  this  work  was  passing  through  the  press. 
Library  of  Congress,  Washingto7i,  December,  i86p. 

Provision  for  the  distribution  of  the  catalogues  of  the 
Library  was  made  by  joint  resolution  approved  January 
14,  1841:' 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States 
of  America  i?i  CoJigress  assembled,  That  one  copy  of  the  catalogue  of  the 
Library  of  Congress  be  presented  to  each  of  the  incorporated  universities, 
colleges,  athenaeums,  and  historical  societies  in  the  United  States,  not 
exceeding  three  hundred  in  number,  and  to  the  American  Antiquarian 
Society. 

These  changes  in  cataloguing  were  accompanied  by  changes 
in  classification.  The  classification  by  format  of  1802  and 
the  classification  by  general  subject  and  subclassification  by 
format  of  181 2  and  181 5  was  in  1861  superseded  by  an 
arrangement  by  subject  throughout.  The  substitution  of  a 
narrow  for  a  broad  classification,  made  necessary  by  the 
increased  size  of  the  Library,  by  the  changes  in  the  bounda- 
ries of  the  sciences,  and  by  the  growth  of  professional  inter- 
ests, involved  a  readjustment  of  the  relations  of  the  general 
classes  as  well  as  a  subdivision  of  those  classes.  This  is 
shown  in  the  transfer  of  "Writing,"  "Printing,"  and  "Book- 
binding," from  chapter  15,  "Technical  arts,"  to  chapter  38, 
"Literature  and  bibliography;"  "The  law  of  nature  and  of 
nations"  from  "Moral  philosophy"  (chapter  16.2)  to  a  dis- 
tinct place  (chapter  24)  between  law  and  politics;  mathe- 
matics, physics,  and  astronomy  from  philosophy  to  natural 
history;  ecclesiastical  history  from  history  to  religion,  and  a 
rearrangement  of  literature  along  lines  dictated  by  more 
modem  taste. 

In  this  reclassification  of  the  Library  it  was  necessary  to 
adopt  a  new  scheme  of  notation.  In  the  Jefferson  scheme 
ethics  had  been  marked  16.1,^  law  of  nature  and  nations  16.2. 

'And  Jan.  20,  1843:  This  distributed  the  remainder  to  colleges  not  already  pro- 
vided and  persons  entitled  to  use  the  Library.  '  This  is  not  a  decimal  number. 


368  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1 85  2-1 864. 

An  inserted  book  was  numbered  by  adding  a  letter  to  the 
book  number  of  the  book  next  preceding,  or  by  renumbering 
the  entire  class.  For  example,  a  Collection  of  papers  relating 
to  the  history  of  Massachusetts  being  numbered  rr,  the  Col- 
lections of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society  when  added 
to  the  Ivibrary  were  marked  v^.  As  many  as  a  dozen  or  more 
insertions,  arranged  in  order  of  accession,  were  sometimes 
made  and  numbered  thus  by  the  added  letters  1,  m,  etc. 

In  the  reclassification  of  i860  the  subdivisions  of  the  class 
Politics  were  marked  24.1,  24.2,  24.3,  etc.,  as  the  subdivisions 
of  moral  philosophy  had  been  marked  in  181 5;  the  book 
numbers  were  superseded  by  shelf  numbers,  and  new  book 
labels  and  book  plates  were  prepared  to  correspond  to  the 
notation.  With  the  rapid  development  of  the  Library  after 
1 86 1  the  shelf  numbers  came  in  a  measure  to  have  the 
significance  of  class  numbers,  and  the  fixed  location  to  give 
way  to  a  movable  one. 

INDEXING    OF    DOCUMENTS. 

The  Library  staff  had  no  time  for  bibliographical  work,^ 
although  such  work  clearly  constituted  one  of  the  functions 
of  the  institution,  both  as  a  Library  of  Congress  and  as  a 
national  library.  The  custody  of  Congressional  documents, 
for  example,  involved  properly  the  cataloguing  of  them,  just 
as  the  custody  of  the  nation's  literature  involved  the  cata- 
loguing of  it,  and  the  publication  of  the  catalogues.  Such 
work  was  still  left  to  private  initiative;  the  question  of  Gov- 
ernment patronage  of  such  work,  however,  was  referred  to 
the  Library  Committee,  and  thus  requires  notice  from  the 
historian  of  the  Library. 

In  1823  an  index  to  the  House  documents  of  the  Fifteenth, 
Sixteenth,  and  Seventeenth  Congresses  had  been  printed  by 
order  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  In  1824  ^.n  index  to 
the  House  documents  of  the  First  to  the  Fourteenth  Con- 
gresses had  been  printed  by  the  order  of  the  House.  The 
desirability  of  a  more  comprehensive  work  was,  however,  felt. 

'  It  was  necessary  to  close  the  Library  for  a  month  in  the  autumn  to  gain  time  to 
shelve  the  new  books  and  prepare  the  annual  supplement  to  the  catalogue. — Meehan 
to  Everett,  March  2,  1S31;  Library  of  Congress  MSS. 


INDEXING    OF   DOCUMENTS.  369 

Accordingly,  on  the  20th  of  Februar}-,  1830,  at  the  sugges- 
tion of  Mr.  Watterston,  Air.  Burges  moved  in  the  House 
"That  the  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives  be  directed 
to  cause  a  digested  index  to  be  prepared  to  the  Executive 
papers,  reports  of  committees,  and  all  other  public  documents 
from  the  origin  of  the  Government,  and  also  a  general  index 
to  the  journals  of  the  two  Houses."  On  the  24th  this  was 
referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Librar}-.  The  resolution 
was  introduced  at  the  beginning  of  the  next  session  of 
Congress  by  Mr.  Taylor,  but  its  consideration  postponed 
indefinitely.  It  appears  from  the  correspondence  between 
Watterston  and  Edward  Everett  that  this  index  was  to  be  in 
two  volumes,  one  an  index  to  the  documents,  the  other  an 
index  to  the  journals.  It  was  to  have  been  compiled  by 
Watterston  and  Fendall,  the  two  editors  of  the  National 
fournal.^ 

The  measure  for  a  comprehensive  index  having  failed,  ]\Ir. 
Taylor  moved,  December  28,  1830,  for  a  supplement  to  the 
two  existing  indexes.     This  passed  Februar}-  11,  1831. 

In  1839  Thomas  F.  Gordon  presented  a  memorial  to  Con- 
gress asking  for  the  patronage  of  that  bod}'  for  an  index  to 
the  journals  and  documents  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress. 
The  substance  of  his  memorial  was  as  follows: 

The  existing  indices  are  confessedly  insufficient  and  are  liable  to  the 
following  objections: 

1.  They  do  not  remove  the  great  difficulty  and  labor,  to  which  every 
member  of  Congress  is  subject,  in  tracing  the  action  of  the  Government 
upon  any  matter. 

2.  Nor  do  they  lessen  the  labor  and  perplexity  of  ascertaining  the 
proceedings  of  any  department  upon  its  ordinary  duties  or  upon  matters 
specially  referred  to  it.  Hence,  are  induced  calls  upon  the  departments 
for  information  which  has  been  previously  rendered,  and  consequently 
great  delay  and  expense. 

3.  They  afford  an  imperfect  clue  to  the  indigested  mass  of  valuable 
matter  which  the  several  hundred  volumes  of  the  Congressional  proceed- 
ings contain,  and  the  light  of  experience  is  thus  frequently  unattainable. 

4.  For  want  of  a  Ijetter  guide  these  volumes,  which  contain  the 
greater  part  of  the  only  veritable  history  of  the  country,  are  sealed 
books  to  the  people  and  their  representatives. 

'Watterston  to  Everett,  February  25,  December  29.  1S30;  I'ebruary  12,  1831;  Jour- 
nal of  the  House  of  Representatives. 
23399—04 24 


370  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

To  remedy  these  evils  I  propose  to  make  three  sets  of  indices,  the 
first  comprising  the  executive  documents  and  reports  of  committees 
of  both  Houses,  the  second  the  journals  of  the  Senate  and  the  third 
the  journals  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  each  series  containing 
the  matter  pertaining  to  it  from  the  institution  of  the  Government 
to  the  present  time,  the  first  in  order  above  mentioned  to  be  the  first 
executed. 

The  first  index  would  show  on  its  page  an  analytical  abstract  of  every 
document  referred  to,  with  the  year,  the  Congress,  the  session,  the 
volume,  and  the  page  to  which  it  belongs. 

The  matter  of  the  index  will  be  classed  alphabetically  under  as  many 
titles  as  possible  (the  more  titles  the  better),  giving,  however,  the  syn- 
opsis of  each  volume  under  one  title  only,  with  reference  to  that  from 
all  the  other  titles  under  which  the  matter  of  the  document  is  noticed. 
The  matter  under  each  title  will  be  arranged  numerically,  in  placita,  or 
sections,  for  the  convenience  of  reference  and  the  avoidance  of  repeti- 
tion. The  abstracts  under  the  general  titles  will  give  the  full  scope  of 
the  documents,  whilst  due  care  is  had  to  avoid  redundancy. 

Such  an  index  would  present  a  general  and  connected  view  of  the 
whole  action  of  the  Government  in  each  and  every  department;  a  satis- 
f actor}'  analysis  of  every  document  and  report;  a  read)'-  access  to  each 
component  part  or  principle,  however  widely  dispersed  through  the 
records,  with  the  means  of  direct  recurrence  to  each  document  and  report 
in  extenso.  It  would  be  a  national  work,  opening  inlets,  now  imper- 
vious, to  a  correct  and  useful  knowledge  of  the  national  history.  To 
the  agent  of  every  department  of  Government  it  would  prove  a  great 
labor-saving  machine,  abridging  his  labors,  whilst  it  directed  his  proper 
course  when  seeking  for  light  to  his  own  path  or  to  guide  the  steps  of 
others.  Knowledge  is  power,  and  this  power  it  would  be  efficient  to 
give. 

Such  a  work  is  one  of  great  labor,  requiring  more  ability  than  is  ordi- 
narily needed  in  a  clerk;  requiring,  also,  exclusive  devotion  to  it  for  a 
long  and  unbroken  period;  much  attention  to  comprehend  correctly  the 
matter,  and  to  preserve  its  due  connexion;  the  command  of  language, 
and  the  tact  to  condense  closely;  in  a  word,  the  skill  necessary  for  cor- 
rect and  lucid  abridgement.  May  I  say  that  my  pursuits  for  some  3'ears 
past  have,  in  a  measure,  specially  qualified  me  for  such  a  labor? 

The  work  is  one  not  only  of  great  labor,  but  one  requiring  much  time. 
There  are  some  hundred  volumes  of  documents  and  reports  pertaining  to 
the  two  Houses.  It  is  one  also  of  great  risk,  since  no  recompense  is 
anticipated  until  the  whole  work  shall  be  compiled.  Death  or  disease, 
which  may  obstruct  the  work,  will  impose  on  the  laborer  the  loss  to  him- 
self or  family  of  the  fruits  of  his  labor. 

It  is  a  national  work,  intended  chiefly  for  the  ofikers  and  agents  of 
the  Government,  and  must  be  created  at  the  national  expense.     One 


INDEXING   OF   DOCUMENTS.  37 1 

hundred  copies  beyond  the  number  taken  by  the  Government  would  be 
as  many  as  I  would  dare  to  print.  If  the  work  be  executed,  Congress 
must  order  such  number  of  copies  as  will  remunerate  the  labor  and  cost. 
What  should  that  number  be?  You  will  readily  admit,  I  presume,  that 
it  would  be  convenient  for  every  member  of  Congress  to  have  at  his 
chambers  a  copy  of  the  work;  that  if  he  carried  it  home  with  him  it 
would  enable  his  family  and  his  neighbors  to  acquire  a  knowledge 
useful  to  everyone  destined  to  public  station,  and  that,  therefore,  it 
might  not  be  unwise  to  supply  the  members  of  several  successive  Con- 
gresses with  the  work.  Less  than  1,500  copies  would  scarcely  sen-e 
these  views. 

I  am  not  unaware,  however,  that  a  proposal  for  such  a  number  will 
find  man}'  and  resolute  objectors,  to  avoid  whom  it  will  be  proper  to 
reduce  the  amount  to  that  which  will  be  absolutely  requisite  to  pay  for 
the  labor,  expense,  and  risk  of  the  enterprise. 

It  is  somewhat  difl&cult  to  get  at  this  desideratum  from  the  uncer- 
tain extent  of  the  labor.  To  render  the  work  most  useful  it  should  be 
put  into  as  compact  a  form  as  possible,  and  consequently  in  as  small 
type  as  may  be  easily  legible — say  brevier.  Each  volume  should  make 
a  convenient  manual,  and  might  contain  800  pages.  The  size  would  be 
properly  determined  by  the  space  necessary  for  all  the  matter  under 
the  classing  letters  of  the  alphabet  which  it  might  contain.  Thus,  if 
Volume  I  have  the  indicative  letters  A,  B,  C,  D,  E,  F,  etc.,  it  should  com- 
prehend all  the  subjects  under  them.  The  page  would  necessarily  be  a 
heavy  one,  containing  about  twice  as  much  matter  as  the  page  of  Gor- 
don's Digest  of  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  and  being  of  tabular 
form,  with  much  figure  work,  would  cost  double  price  for  composition. 
Such  a  volume,  therefore,  could  not  be  printed  and  properly  bound  for 
less  than  2,000  dollars;  from  the  balance  must  be  paid  the  compilers, 
copyists,  proof  readers,  etc. 

It  is  not  possible,  a  priori,  to  state  the  number  of  volumes  requisite  for 
each  series  of  indices.  The  executive  documents  and  reports  of  commit- 
tees might  probably  be  comprised  in  three  such  volumes  as  I  have 
described  above,  perhaps  in  two. 

Viewing,  therefore,  the  labor,  the  cost,  and  the  risk,  the  remuneration 
should  be  liberal,  and  payable  in  portions  on  delivery  of  the  several  vol- 
umes. By  reason  of  the  alphabetical  form,  the  whole  of  each  series 
must  be  compiled  before  anj'  part  of  it  can  be  put  to  press.  This  cir- 
cumstance assures  the  compilation  of  each  series  before  demand  for 
remuneration,  and  subjects  the  compiler  alone  to  all  the  risk  of  the 
enterprise.  We  can  not  fix  the  price  per  volume,  but  may  per  page; 
and  I  propose  to  receive  i  cent  for  every  printed  page,  500  copies  being 
taken.  This  is  the  price  paid  for  printing  the  laws  in  the  newspapers 
for  pages  having  about  one-third  the  matter  I  propose;  such  was  the 
price  paid  me  by  the  Treasury  Department  for  an  edition  of  the  Digest 


372  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

of  the  revenue  laws.  These  terms  will  leave  to  the  compiler  little 
more  than  the  wages  of  a  Government  clerk,  whilst  his  labors  will  be 
treble  those  of  such  a  clerk,  if  he  would  make  wages  at  all. 

You  will  perceive,  from  the  preceding  view,  that  the  proposed  indices 
will  differ  widely  in  character,  utility,  and  cost  from  the  crude,  meager 
brochures  which  usurp  the  name  of  indices,  now  in  use  in  Congress. 
You  will  perceive,  also,  that  a  work  faithfully  executed  upon  the  pro- 
posed plan  will  be  a  manual  for  every  American  statesman.' 

This  memorial  was  presented  to  Congress  with  a  favorable 
recommendation  from  the  Library  Committee  February  16, 
1839,  again  January  7,  1843,  January  11,  1845,"  ^^^  March 
3,  1846,^  but  with  no  sitccess. 

Other  bibliographical  enterprises  met  with  a  similar  fate. 
The  memorial  of  B.  R.  Livingston,  submitting  to  the  Senate 
his  system  for  arranging  and  indexing  legislative  documents 
and  papers,  and  his  proposal  for  arranging  and  indexing  all 
the  documents  and  papers  of  Congress  b}^  that  S3'stem, 
referred  to  the  committee  by  the  Senate,  w-as  on  the  14th  of 
May,  1858,  referred  by  them  to  Mr.  Bayard,  and  on  the  20tli 
laid  on  the  table. 

William  Elliot  compiled  a  list  of  all  the  books  deposited  for 
copyright  in  the  Department  of  State,  alphabeticalh'  and 
analogically  arranged.  The  National  Intelligencei'  (March 
24,  1834)  expressed  the  hope  that  it  would  be  published,  and 
on  the  1 6th  of  December,  1834,  Air.  Robbins  presented  in  the 
Senate  a  petition  from  William  Elliot  pra3dng  for  the  patron- 
age of  Congress  in  the  publication  of  the  work;  but  the 
Library  Committee,  to  whom  the  petition  had  been  referred, 
voted,  January  31,  1835,  ^^^^  ^  motion  be  made  to  discharge 
the  committee  from  its  further  consideration. 

On  the  2ist  of  July,  1848,  a  resolution  was  received  from 
the  Senate  instructing  the  committee  to  inquire  into  the 
expediency  of  purchasing  for  the  use  of  the  Senate  an  index 
to  the  National  Intelligencer^  from  18 10  to  1820,  prepared  b}' 
H.  Morfit,  esq.,  of  the  city  of  Washington.     ''Voted,  That 

'  Twenty -seventh  Congress,  third  session,  House  report  No.  41.  This  was  pre- 
sented January  7,  1843,  but  is  in  substance  the  same  as  that  in  the  unpublished 
report  presented  February  16,  1839. 

^  Twenty  -eighth  Congress,  second  session.  House  document  No.  46. 

■'Twenty-ninth  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  document  No.  1S4. 


PRIVILEGES   OF  THE   LIBR.\RY.  373 

the  subject  be  laid  over  for  the  purpose  of   making   some 
inquiries." 

On  the  24th  of  June,  1864,  on  motion  of  Mr,  iVnthony,  the 
Senate  resolved  "That  the  Committee  on  the  Library  be 
instructed  to  inquire  into  the  expediency  of  causing  a  cata- 
logue of  all  the  publications  relating  to  the  Rebellion  to  be 
compiled." 

PRIVILEGES    OF    THE    LIBRARY. 

The  privileges  of  the  Librar}^  until  this  time  confined  to 
members  of  Congress,  the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court,  the 
members  of  the  diplomatic  corps,  and  one  or  two  others, 
were  now  extended  to  the  heads  of  Departments  and  other 
officers  of  the  Government.  On  the  9th  of  January,  181 7,  a 
bill  to  this  effect  had  passed  the  Senate  but  got  no  further. 
On  the  2 2d  of  December,  1S29,  ho^vever,  on  motion  of  Repre- 
sentative Davis,  of  South  Carolina,  the  use  of  the  books  in 
the  Library  was  extended  to  the  heads  of  the  Departments; 
on  the  23d,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Pearce,  the  resolution  was 
amended  so  as  to  extend  to  ex-Presidents  of  the  United 
States  resident  in  the  city  of  Washington;  on  the  30th 
the  Library  Committee,  to  whom  the  resolution  had  been 
referred,  recommended  the  further  extension  of  the  privileges 
of  the  Librar}'  to  the  Secretarj^  of  the  Senate,  the  Clerk  of 
the  House  of  Representatives,  and  the  chaplains  of  Con- 
gress; and  on  the  13th  of  Januar}^,  1830,  the  resolution  was 
approved: 

RESOLUTION  granting  the  use  of  the  books  in  the  Library  of  Congress  to  the 
heads  of  Departments,  to  certain  officers  of  Congress,  and  to  ex-Presidents  of  the 
United  States. 

Resolved  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States 
of  America,  in  Congress  assembled.  That  the  President  of  the  Senate  and 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representath'^es,  for  the  time  being,  be,  and 
they  are  hereby  authorized  to  grant  the  use  of  the  books  in  the  Library 
of  Congress,  to  the  Secretary  of  State,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
the  Secretary  of  War,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  the  Postmaster- 
General,  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate,  and  the  Clerk  of  the  House  of 
Representatives,  the  chaplains  of  Congress,  and  any  individual,  when  in 
the  District  of  Columbia,  who  may  have  been  President  of  the  United 
States;  at  the  times,  and  on  the  same  terms,  conditions,  and  restrictions, 
as  members  of  Congress  are  allowed  to  use  said  books. 


374  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

By  the  act  of  August  11,  1848,  the  privilege  was  also 
extended  to  the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  joint  resolution  granting  the  use 
of  the  Library  to  the  judges  and  Solicitor  of  the  Court  of 
Claims,  was  reported  upon  by  the  Committee  on  the  Library 
as  follows: 

That,  iu  their  opiuiou,  it  is  inexpedient  to  extend  the  privilege  of 
taking  books  from  the  Library  of  Congress  further  than  is  now  allowed 
b)^  law. 

The  law  of  1802  allowed  no  book  to  be  taken  out  of  the  Library, 
except  by  the  President  of  the  United  States  and  by  members  of  Con- 
gress for  the  time  being.  But  this  privilege  has  since  been  granted  to 
all  members  of  Congress,  heads  of  departments,  and  diplomatic  corps; 
to  the  judges  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States;  to  ex-Presi- 
dents when  in  Washington;  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  and  Clerk 
of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  to  the  Solicitor  of  the  Treasury — 
in  all,  more  than  300  persons.  Besides  this,  the  Supreme  Court  is 
authorized  to  allow  the  use  of  the  books  in  the  law  department  of  the 
Library  to  the  attorneys  and  counsellors  of  the  court  during  its  sessions. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  list  of  those  who  are  entitled  to  take 
books  from  the  Library  of  Congress  is  very  large;  and  the  privilege  is 
often  abused  by  those  who  are  entitled  to  it,  using  it  for  the  supply  of 
others  than  themselves  and  their  own  families. 

Under  the  rules  which  were  prescribed  many  years  ago  by  the  Vice- 
President  and  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  by  authority  of 
law,  visitors  are  admitted  to  the  Library.  Although  these  rules  are 
silent  as  to  the  use  of  books  by  visitors,  they  are,  in  fact,  allowed  the 
use  of  the  books  by  reading  them  while  there,  and  the  means  of  making 
notes  of  what  they  read  are  readily  furnished.  They  are  also  cheerfully 
aided  by  the  Librarian  and  assistants  in  making  researches. 

This  is  greater  liberality  than  is  usually  practiced  in  great  libraries, 
and  much  increases  the  labor  of  the  Librarian  and  his  assistants.  But 
the  number  of  books  taken  out  of  the  Library  by  parties  entitled  to  do 
so  is  quite  large,  and,  indeed,  often  so  large  as  not  unfrequently  to 
impede  very  seriously  the  researches  of  those  making  extended  inquiries. 
This  inconvenience  increases  with  every  addition  to  the  number  of 
privileged  persons,  and  it  has  been  so  obvious  to  the  Library  Com- 
mittee that  they  have  long  opposed  all  applications  made  for  the  exten- 
sion of  the  privilege.  These  applications  have  been  made  on  behalf  of 
numerous  officers  of  the  General  Government,  but  for  many  years  they 
have  been  invariably  refused.  The  last  addition  to  the  list  was  made  by 
Congress  without  reference  to  the  Committee  on  Library  and  without 
due  consideration. 


PRIVILEGES   OF  THE   LIBRARY.  375 

In  regard  to  the  books  in  what  is  properly  called  the  law  department 
of  the  Librar)',  their  use  is  still  more  largely  enjoyed  since  the  act  of 
1832.  This  act  authorized  the  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  to  make 
such  rules  and  regulations  for  the  use  of  the  same  by  themselves  and 
the  attorneys  and  counsellors  of  the  court,  during  the  sittings  of  the 
said  court,  as  they  shall  deem  proper.  During  the  sessions  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  therefore,  so  many  books  are  required  by  the  judges, 
and  used  by  the  gentlemen  of  the  bar  attending  the  court,  that  mem- 
bers of  Congress  (notwithstanding  there  are  many  duplicates  of  certain 
works  of  general  use)  are  frequently  unable  to  prosecute  satisfactorily 
the  study  of  legal  questions  arising  in  Congress  or  in  the  course  of  their 
professional  business.  If  the  use  of  this  department  of  the  Library 
were  granted  to  the  judges  and  solicitor  of  the  Court  of  Claims  the 
present  inconvenience  to  members  of  Congress  would  be  largely 
increased. 

The  committee,  therefore,  can  not  recommend  the  adoption  of  the 
resolution  referred  to  them,  though,  if  the  list  of  those  authorized  to 
take  books  from  the  Library  is  to  be  extended  they  know  no  function- 
aries of  the  Government  better  entitled  than  the  judges  of  the  Court  of 
Claims.  They  are  very  sensible  that  it  is  important  to  the  Court  of 
Claims  to  have  the  command  of  a  select  Library  of  law  books  and  of  a 
complete  set  of  statutes  and  public  documents.  They  venture  to  express 
the  hope  that  an  appropriation  ma}^  be  made  to  purchase  law  books  for 
this  court,  and  the}'  report  a  bill  making  an  appropriation  for  this  pur- 
pose, and  providing  them  with  a  copy  of  the  statutes  and  public  docu- 
ments, so  far  as  the  same  can  be  obtained  from  such  as  are  now  on  hand, 
as  also  with  all  that  maj^  be  published  hereafter,  which  they  recommend 
as  an  independent  bill.' 

The  joint  resolution  granting  the  use  of  the  Library  to 
the  justices  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  District  of  Columbia 
was  also  reported  upon  adversely." 

The  suggestion  of  the  Commissioner  of  Patents  that  if 
he  were  permitted  to  take  books  from  the  Librar}^  of  Con- 
gress, it  would  relieve  him  from  the  necessity  of  purchasing 
some  rare  publications  for  his  office  was  not  even  taken  into 
consideration.^ 

Still,  those  who  wished  to  borrow  books  from  the  Library 
could  do  so  by  obtaining  a  card  from  a  member  of  Con- 
gress.'*    This  was  done  to  such  an  extent  that  on  the  21st  of 

'Minutes,  June  10,  1858;  Congressional  Globe,  June  12,  1858;  Thirty-fifth  Congress, 
first  session.     Senate  report  No.  328,  June  12,  1858. 
'^Congressional  Globe,  January  12,  1864. 
^  Report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Patents  for  1844,  P-  8. 
''Round  Table  i:  38. 


376  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1S52-1864. 

April,  1854,  jMr.  Taylor,  of  New  York,  asked  the  unanimous 
consent  of  tlie  House  to  offer  the  following  resolution: 

Resolved,  That  the  Committee  on  the  Library  be  instructed  to  inquire 
whether  it  be  not  expedient  that  one  copy  of  each  work  belonging  to  the 
Librar)^  be  constantly  retained  therein.  Also,  whether  books  taken  from 
the  Library  should  not  be  required  to  be  returned  within  a  definite  time, 
to  be  fixed  by  the  rules  regulating  the  Library. 

Mr.  Clingman.  That  is  the  rule  now. 

Mr.  Taylor.  Yes,  sir;  but  it  is  not  put  in  force. 

Mr.  Clingman  objected  to  the  introduction  of  the  resolution. 

While  only  privileged  persons  were  allowed  to  borrow  books 
from  the  Library,  all  were  admitted  to  the  use  of  the  reading 
room.  There  was,  it  is  true,  a  rule  which  required  that 
visitors  should  be  introduced  by  members  of  Congress,  and 
because  of  some  abuse  of  the  privileges  of  the  reading  room, 
the  committee  voted  March  31,  1832,  "That  the  rule  should 
be  strictly  enforced,  and  that  the  Librarian  should  give  public 
notice  to  that  effect."  But  it  seems  to  have  fallen  again  into 
abe3^ance. 

But  while  the  committee  were  jealous  of  any  extension  of 
the  privileges  of  the  Library,  the  public  was  equally  jealous 
of  any  limitations  of  those  privileges.' 

Among  the  limitations  complained  of  was  the  closing  of 
the  Library  every  other  day  when  Congress  was  not  in  ses- 
sion, and  for  the  space  of  a  month  in  the  autumn  of  each 
year  for  the  purpose  of  cleaning  and  arranging  the  books  and 
the  rooms  ' — this  Librar}^  said  a  writer  in  the  United  States 
Magazine  for  August,  1856,-  should  be  opened  on  every 
secular  day  during  the  year. 

Another  limitation  complained  of  was  the  closing  of  the 
Librar}'^  in  the  evening.  This  led  to  the  publication  of  the 
following  interesting  letters  in  the  National  lutcUigenccr^ 
January  3,  1844,  and  May  25,  1853: 

To  the  Editors: 

If  you  have  at  command  a  copy  of  the  rules  and  regulations  for  the 
custody  and  government  of  the  Congressional  Library,  you  would  render 
some  public  .service  by  publishing  them. 

"  .K  -writer  in  the  Star  (January  23,  1S53)  went  so  far  as  to  protest  again.st  the  custom 
of  excludinjif  boys  from  the  Library. 

-  National  Intelligencer,  October  20,  1S30,  and  October  7,  1834;  Washington 
Capitol,  October  30,  1843;  Minutes,  July  7,  1S61. 

<Vol.  3,  p.  108. 


PRIVILEGES   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  377 

Is  it  reserved  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  members  of  Congress?  If 
not,  who  else,  and  on  what  conditions,  can  participate  in  the  use  of  it? 
Is  it  open  daily,  and  for  how  nian}^  hours,  as  well  during  the  session  as 
in  the  recess  of  Congress?  If  it  be  not,  ought  it  not  to  be  open  as  well 
to  other  persons  employed  in  the  public  service  as  to  members  of  Con- 
gress? Or  is  it  that  they  contribute  more  than  others  to  its  purchase, 
or  Tpay  more  for  its  preserx'ation?  The  use  of  the  Library  would  con- 
tribute to  beguile  the  evenings  of  those  who  have  labored  assiduously 
through  the  day,  when  the  humbler  employees  in  the  public  service  can 
find  time  to  devote,  which  many  of  them  can  not  even,  their  evenings 
to  the  perusal  of  useful  and  entertaining  books.  But,  if  the  doors  of  the 
Library  are  closed  even  to  the  ver}^  tew  who  are  entitled  to  its  benefits 
each  day  as  soon  as  Congress  adjourns,  and  if  in  the  recess  it  be  open 
but  three  days  in  the  week,  and  even  on  those  days  shut  up  at  3  o'clock, 
might  it  not  as  w^ell  be  hermetically  sealed  against  persons  necessarily 
confined  in  the  public  offices,  ai  least  until  that  hour? 

Finally,  would  it  not  be  liberal  and  better  comport  with  the  spirit  of 
the  times  if  Congress  would  appoint  one  or  two  assistant  librarians  and 
otherwise  make  provision  which  would  render  the  National  Library 
accessible  at  all  hours  of  the  da)^  and  until  8  o'clock  at  night  to  all 
persons  emploj'ed  in  the  Departments '. 

The  postage  on  newspapers  and  on  letters  transmitting  monej^  to  edi- 
tors of  papers,  which  now  go  free  of  postage,  would  amount  to  more 
than  $10,000  a  year,  and  this  on  the  ground  that  the  Post-OfRce  Depart- 
ment should  so  contribute  to  the  diffusion  of  knowledge.  Might  not 
Congress,  acting  in  the  spirit  of  the  same  liberal  policy,  make  a  small 
appropriation  to  give  freer  vent  and  diffusion  to  the  useful  knowledge 
shut  up  in  this  great  national  repository?  But  one  objection  can  be 
perceived  to  this  suggestion  and  that  is  that  the  monopoly  of  the  whole 
collection  is  necessary  to  satisfy  the  studious  propensities  of  that  honor- 
able bod  v. 

S.  S.  I. 

To  the. Editors  of  the  National  iNTELLiGENCEii: 

I  am  a  clerk  in  one  of  the  Departments.  I  sought  an  office  here  in 
preference  to  an  engagement  equally  advantageous  in  a  pecuniary  point 
of  view  elsewhere  for  the  reason  that  I  have  a  taste  for  the  study  of  cer- 
tain sciences  for  which  the  libraries  of  the  part  of  the  country  in  which 
I  resided  do  not  afford  the  requisite  facilities.  The  Government  has 
provided  an  extensive  Congress  Library,  to  which  the  public  are  per- 
mitted access,  and  where  the  lovers  of  knowledge  can  feast  without 
expense.  The  foundation  for  a  still  more  valuable  library  has  been  laid 
in  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  It  was  my  wish  to  avail  myself  of  these 
wells  of  science  and  to  digest  their  rich  products  in  the  society  and  con- 
versation of  those  of  kindred  ta.stes.  Judge,  then,  of  my  mortification 
and  disappointment  at  finding  that,  for  all  purposes  of  practical  benefit 


378  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

to  me  and  those  similarly  circumstanced,  these  libraries  might  as  well 
be  at  the  antipodes  as  in  this  city.  It  is  the  duty  of  clerks  in  the  public 
offices  to  give  their  attention  to  business  from  8  or  9  o'clock  in  the 
morning  until  3  or  4  in  the  evening.  We  are  paid  for  this  service,  and 
every  conscientious  clerk  feels  it  to  be  his  duty  to  render  a  full  equiva- 
lent for  the  wages  he  receives.  The  libraries  are  open  during  our  hours 
of  business  and  closed  at  all  other  hours.  Few  of  us  can  afford  to  buy 
all  the  books  we  wish  to  study,  and  even  if  we  could  the  bookstores 
would  afford  but  a  meager  satisfaction  to  those  whose  studies  are  of  a 
recondite  nature.  If  the  inconvenience  were  only  personal,  I  would  not 
ask  the  space  in  j^our  valuable  columns  necessary  to  call  the  public  atten- 
tion to  it,  but  it  involves  grave  considerations  which  relate  to  the  welfare 
of  the  large  number  of  persons  from  every  part  of  the  Union  who  are 
engaged  in  the  public  service  in  this  metropolis.  Most  of  the  clerks  in 
the  Departments  are  young  men  of  liberal  education  and  of  literary 
tastes,  ardent  and  impetuous  in  feeling,  and  peculiarly  susceptible  to  the 
impressions  with  which  circumstances  surround  them.  They  are  not 
destitute  either  of  character  or  influence — an  influence  which,  as  they 
return  to  their  homes,  will  be  felt  in  every  part  of  our  country.  Around 
them,  too,  cling  the  hopes  and  expectations  of  many  friends  and  rela- 
tives. They  come  here  and  are  cut  off  from  the  social  restraints  to 
which  they  have  been  accustomed.  Books  and  the  society  of  cultivated 
men  would  go  far  to  preserve  them  from  the  follies  and  vices  of  city  life. 
They  are  practically  denied  access  to  the  public  libraries,  and  what  is 
the  consequence?  The  energ}'  and  enthusiasm  which  might  be  lead 
into  a  healthy  current  is  diverted  into  the  thousand  polluted  channels 
which  present  a  moral  counterpart  to  the  alleys  and  sewers  of  the  city. 
It  is  no  light  thing  to  be  responsible  for  such  consequences,  and  I  con- 
fidently trust  that  the  mere  mention  of  them  will  lead  to  the  adoption 
of  the  measures  of  remedy  which  readily  suggest  themselves. 

It  may  be  the  impression  that  if  the  libraries  were  made  accessible  to 
us  but  few  would  resort  to  them.  I  can  not  undertake  to  decide  in 
advance,  but  in  the  limited  circle  of  my  acquaintances  the  complaint  of 
the  want  of  books  has  been  almost  universal.  I  hope  that  if  these 
libraries  should  be  thrown  open  at  such  hours  that  the  clerks  can  visit 
them,  they  will  be  the  resort  of  as  numerous  and  earnest  votaries  as 
during  the  sessions  of  Congress. 

Wabash. 

No  attention  M^as  paid  to  these  petitions,  however,  for 
almost  half  a  century. 


USE   OF   THE    LIBRARY.  379 

USE    OF    THE    LIBRARY. 

While  these  restrictions  upon  the  use  of  the  Library 
remained,  the}^  do  not  seem  to  have  hindered  the  growing 
utilit}^  of  the  institution  as  a  reference  library  and  its  con- 
tinued popularity  as  a  place  of  resort. 

The  beauty  of  the  room  made  the  Library  one  of  the 
attractions  of  Washington,  and  consequently  one  of  the 
objects  of  interest  to  the  numerous  strangers  who  visited  the 
Capitol.  Its  location  between  the  two  Houses  of  Congress 
made  it  a  pleasant  lounge  for  members  wearied  with  the  pros- 
ings  of  some  tireless  debater.  The  alcoves  in  the  Library 
made  convenient  reception  rooms  for  the  wives  and  daughters 
of  members,  and  the  illustrated  works  were  nice  picture  books 
for  their  children.' 

The  English  traveler  James  Silk  Buckingham  visited 
the  Librar}"  in  1841  and,  seeing  the  throng  which  frequented 
it,  concluded  that  it  was  a  public  librar}^  and  said:  "As  access 
to  the  Library  is  just  as  free  from  all  restraint  as  access  to 
the  halls  of  Congress,  in  the  galleries  set  apart  for  strangers, 
or  to  the  President's  levees  and  drawing  rooms,  so  this  Librar}^ 
is  a  YQvy  valuable  resource  both  to  residents  and  visitors  in 
the  cit}'.  If  our  Hnglish  authorities  could  but  learn  the 
important  truth  that  freedom  of  access  to  public  institutions 
is  not  necessaril}'  attended  with  rudeness  of  behavior  or  injury 
to  their  contents,  a  vast  benefit  and  a  most  softening  and 
refi.ning  influence  would  be  obtained  for  the  British  popula- 
tion b\'  familiarizing  them  through  the  medium  of  such  insti- 
tutions with  the  pleasures  of  literature,  science,  and  art,  and 
the  whole  nation,  na}^,  the  whole  world,  would  be  directly  or 
indirectly  benefited  by  the  change."  ^ 

Those  who  saw  more  of  the  Library  than  Mr.  Buckingham, 
on  the  other  hand,  knew  that  it  was  onl}-  a  privileged  class 
who  were  permitted  to  use  the  Library,  and  saw,  as  the  Eng- 
lish visitor  did  not,  that  some  of  that  class  misused  the  Library 

'Henry  Tudor,  Narrative  of  a  tour  in  North  America  (1834),  i:  64;  Captain 
Marryat,  Diary  in  America  ( 1839) ,  i :  166;  Mary  Clemmer  Ames,  Ten  years  in  Wash- 
ington (1873),  P-  13';  National  Intelligencer,  March  30,  1S32,  December  5,  1S34, 
and  May  22,  1839;   Washington  Capitol,  June  12,  1843. 

=  America,  historical,  statistic,  and  descriptive  (1841),  i:  310. 


380  DEVELOPMENT   OF   THE   LIBRARY,  1 85 2-1 864. 

most  deplorably;  books  were  mutilated  and  lost,  and  readers 
were  worried  b}^  the  buzz  of  conversation  or  crowded  out  of 
tbe  room  by  the  multitude  wliicli  thronged  it.  The  commit- 
tee, therefore,  attempted  to  remedy  matters  by  voting,  March 
31,  1832,  that  the  rule  which  required  that  visitors  must 
be  introduced  by  members  of  Congress  should  be  strictly 
enforced,  and  January  3,  1834,  that  the  gratings  put  up  for 
the  security  of  the  books  be  kept  locked  and  opened  only  by 
the  Librarian  on  request;  and,  after  the  fire  of  1851,  these 
measures  were  supplemented  by  the  erection  of  bronze  gates 
in  front  of  the  alcoves.  The  result  of  these  measures  was 
that  the  abuse  of  the  books  in  the  Library  was  diminished, 
but  the  use  of  them  was  also  diminished,  for  neither  student 
nor  lounger  now  had  access  to  the  shelves,  and  only  privi- 
leged persons  could  borrow  books  for  home  use.  Among 
the  latter  we  may  note  Senator  Cass,  who  was  an  omnivorous 
reader,  ordering  to  his  room  large  collections  of  books  of  travel 
and  novels,  and  Senator  Benton,  who,  it  was  said,  always  con- 
sulted all  available  encyclopedias  before  he  made  one  of  his 
ponderous  and  exhaustive  speeches.' 

These  restrictions,  together  with  the  rise  of  other  interests, 
made  the  Librar}?-  less  popular  as  a  resort  toward  the  end  of 
this  period.  These  changed  conditions  must  be  illustrated 
by  extracts  from  contemporary  records.  The  first  of  these 
refers  to  the  abuse  of  the  Library  in  the  earlier  part  of  the 
period. 

On  the  3d  of  January,  1835,  The  Champagne  Club^  ^'a 
chronicle  and  critic  of  military  and  fashionable  events  and 
things,  and  criminal  record  of  literary  and  other  misdoings, 
by  Ebenezer  Loveniuch  and  Capt.  Marcius  Mucklewrath, 
aided  and  abetted  by  a  secret  society  of  bored  gentlemen," 
gave  the  following  description  of  the  reading  room  of  the 
Library: 

Crowds  of  pretty,  fair  ones  with  their  pretty  beaux  filled  the  area 
and  chatted  and  flirted  and  carolled  their  merry  lays  of  laughter  as  they 
thumbed  irreverently  the  hallowed  and  illumined  page  of  "Paradise 
Lost"  to  look  at  the  pictures  or,  disdaining  the  society  of  the  master 
spirits  of  time,   occupied  themselves  with  the  self-styled    Byrons  and 

^Atlantic  Monthly  46:  668. 


LIHRARY  OK  CONGRESS.     INTERIOR,  1S56. 


History  ol' the  Library  of  Congress,  vol.   i,  plate- 24. 


USE  OF  THE   LIBRARY.  38 1 

living  Tom  Thumbs  of  the  day.  One  old  gentleman  alone,  almost 
hidden  in  a  corner,  seemed  to  be  aware  of  the  place  in  which  he  was, 
and  to  have  come  with  the  wedding  garment  to  the  feast.  I  approached 
him  upon  pretence  of  looking  for  a  book,  and  had  an  opportunity  of 
obser\ang  him.  His  countenance  was  calm,  and  yet  enthusiastic; 
benignant,  yet  stern.  His  forehead  was  lofty  and  full,  and  overhung 
his  quiet,  dark  eyes.  He  wore  his  few  surviving  hairs  tied  into  a 
q2ieMe,  and  I  remarked  that  he  was  lame.  The  book  in  his  hand,  like 
its  reader,  must  have  relied  upon  its  subject  rather  than  its  body  for 
distinction,  as  it  was  bound  in  pale  and  unpretending  sheepskin  and 
had  an  ancient  look.  It  was  one  of  the  rare  Latin  authors,  and  it  had 
the  good  fortune  just  then  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  one  whose  mind 
seemed  devoted  to  its  attractions. 

"  Percy,"  said  the  Baron,  "why  don't  somebody  give  that  gentleman 
a  hint  of  the  usages  of  this  place?  Bless  me!  I  should  not  have 
dreamed  of  such  rudeness.  To  sit  down  in  the  very  heart  of  the 
dominions  of  fashion  and  the  ladies,  turn  his  back  upon  them,  hold  his 
tongue,  and  read  a  book!  Abominable!  Is  he  mad?  Really,  this  is 
a  beneficent  and  generous  Government  of  yours!  To  give  the  fair 
.sex  a  chatting  room  in  the  very  Capitol  itself !  A  lounge !  A  sort  of 
public  boudoir  for  belles  and  their  favorites!  Bon  diable!  This  is  the 
climax  of  liberty!  the  apex  of  civilization!  " 

The  Baron  was  startled,  when  he  learned  that  the  old  gentleman  was 
a  Senator,  one  of  the  few  who  have  the  true  and  .simple  dignity  of 
nature,  and  that  he  w^as  actually  putting  the  apartment  to  its  legitimate 
use.' 

On  the  2 1  St  of  Februarj^,  1835,  i^  continued  this  interest- 
ing description  of  the  reading  room,  under  the  caption,  "An 
extract  from  the  notebook  of  Petrus  Penwaggler,  Esquire," 
showing  how  an  act  of  presumption  in  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress was  turned  into  a  learned  disquisition: 

Almost  thrown  into  asphyxia,  a  few  days  ago,  by  the  upas  eloquence 
of  a  member  from  the  far  West,  I  instinctively  sought  the  Library  of 
Congress  as  a  means  of  relief.  A  group  of  laughing,  chatting  ladies 
were  nonchalantly  turning  over  the  elephant  sheets  of  Audubon's  orni- 
thology; a  sort  of  obligato  amu.sement,  like  a  flute  accompaniment  in  a 
concerto,  for  all  the  fa.sliionable  idlers,  who  put  to  the  test  the  urbanity 
of  the  Librarian.  Here  and  there  a  bon  ton  saunterer  cast  a  listless, 
inimeaning  eye  on  the  glorious  array  of  the  shelves,  such  as  would  say, 
I  care  not  to  cultivate  acquaintance  with  unknown  persons.  But  not  so 
in  one  of  the  alcoves,  the  ninth,  I  think  it  is,  on  the  right,  after  you 
have  entered;  not  so  with  an  individual  who  seemed  entranced  in  the 

'  The  Champagne  Club,  Washinj^ton,  January  3,  i<S35,  p.  55. 


382  DEVELOPMENT   OE   THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

contemplation  of  a  splendid  folio,  adorned  with  numerous  and  admirable 
engravings,  after  the  manner  of  Sanzio.  A  set  of  pale  features,  almost 
worn  to  ascetic  thinness,  a  forehead  of  premature  wrinkles,  and  still 
more  premature  baldness;  a  sharp,  quick  eye,  fixed  in  deep  intensity  on 
the  page  before  him;  full  and  restless  eyebrows,  knitted  into  a  hundred 
creases,  spoke  of  the  workings  of  an  active  mind,  and  the  pursuits  of  a 
trimmer  of  the  midnight  lamp.  Drawn  toward  that  person  by  an  irre- 
sistible impulse,  I  approached  him,  and,  setting  aside  the  conventional 
rules  of  politeness,  apologized  for  looking  over  the  work  which  he  was 
perusing,  and  inquiring  into  the  subject  of  the  engravings,  which  were 
illustrated  in  a  foreign  language.' 

Ten  years  later  Caleb  Atwater  found  in  the  Library  room 
only  persons  of  the  most  refined  taste,  polite  manners,  and 
agreeable  conversation.  "I  have  always  found  reading 
people,"  he  said,  "more  placid  and  more  agreeable  in  their 
manners  than  others,  and  were  any  whole  nation  wholly 
composed  of  such  materials  it  would  be  the  happiest  and  the 
best  nation  in  the  world."  ^ 

In  1859  Mary  McLane  said  of  the  Library: 

When  we  paid  our  last  visit  we  found  it  gaily  peopled  as  usual;  couches 
filled  with  groups  conversing  in  the  customary  library  undertone,  which 
is  a  drowsy  murmur.  In  spite  of  the  early  hour  we  saw  in  the  various 
alcoves  scores  of  mute  readers,  who  sometimes  lifted  up  a  glance  as  we 
passed  and  then,  like  Dante's  ghosts,  relapsed  into  their  penance. 

Our  eye  fell  on  several  of  the  habitues  of  the  place,  timidly  propitiat- 
ing the  attendant  with  small  fragments  of  whispered  conversation,  lis- 
tened to  with  impartial  politeness,  again  glancing  up  from  their  books 
with  visible  discomfiture  as  some  gayly  dressed  belle,  in  all  the  grace  of 
fashionable  costume,  floated  up  to  the  same  attendant  (who  is  especially 
the  good  genius  of  female  bookworms)  and  begged  to  see  some  ponder- 
ous tome,  which  she  carelessly  turned  over,  to  the  imminent  peril  of 
delicate  lemon-colored  gloves,  grievously  interrupting  our  elderly  friend, 
who,  we  have  no  doubt,  devoutly  wished  all  female  literati,  and  this  one 
especially,  in  some  distant  paradise  not  particularly  specified. 

Dear  readers,  be  with  us  for  a  brief  time  in  these  secluded  alcoves,  for 
they  seem  very  nests  for  human  thoughts.  Stand  reverently,  for  the 
voices  of  the  dead  are  all  about  us.  What  hundreds  of  literary  laborers 
have  toiled  upon  the  mental  furniture  of  these  walls,  and  many,  ah,  how 
many,  that  the  world  has  never  rewarded!  All  the  struggles,  the  sor- 
rows, and  the  cares  which  wait  on  those  who  worked  with  hand  and 

■  The  Champagne  Club,  Washington,  Febrnary  21,  1S35,  p.  133;  Alexander  Mackay 
in  his  Western  World,  quoted  in  the  Southern  Press,  August  19,  1S50,  also  dwelt  at 
length  upon  the  advantages  of  the  Library  as  a  place  for  flirtation. 

"Mysteries  of  Washington  City.     By  a  citizen  of  Ohio.     1844,  p.  72. 


LIBRARIAN   STEPHENSON.  383 

brain,  alas,  for  bread,  unwinds  itself  as  we  gaze  on  the  works  of  these 
dead  patriarchs  of  thought." 

During  the  War  few  visited  the  Librar}-  and  those  mostly 
members  of  Congress.^ 

LIBRARIAN   STEPHENSON. 

One  more  event  in  the  history  of  the  Library  before  the 
administration  of  Mr.  Spofford  remains  to  be  chronicled — the 
appointment  to  the  office  of  Librarian  of  John  G.  Stephenson. 

John  G.  Stephenson  was  the  son  of  Reuben  Stephenson, 
of  Lancaster,  N.  H.  He  attended  Lancaster  Academy,  where, 
in  1844,  he  assumed  the  part  of  Fontrailles  in  "Richelieu:  a 
drama; "  and  in  the  same  exhibition,  given  at  the  old  meeting 
house  in  Lancaster,  Tuesday  evening,  November  26,  1844, 
the  part  of  Frank  Webber  in  a  comedy  of  college  life  written 
by  Ju<ige  Nelson  Cross,  of  Boston.^  He  was  afterwards  a 
practicing  physician  in  Terre  Haute,  Ind.  He  accompanied 
Senator  Henry  S.  Lane,  of  Indiana,  to  Washington  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1 86 1,  and,  through  the  influence  of  Caleb  B.  Smith, 
of  Indiana,  Secretary  of  the  Interior,  was  appointed  Librarian 
of  Congress  May  24.  He  left  the  work  of  the  Library  to  his 
assistants,  however,  and  went  out  to  take  part  in  the  war  then 
being  waged  between  North  and  South.  In  the  report  of  Maj. 
Gen.  Abner  Doubleday,  U.  S.  Army,  commanding  the  Third 
Division  and  First  Army  Corps  during  the  Gettysburg  cam- 
paign, dated  December  14,  1863,  the  Librarian  gained  the 
following  honorable  mention:'^ 

Colonel  John  G.  Stephenson,  lyibrarian  of  Congress,  acted  as  volunteer 
aide  to  General  Meredith.  He  exposed  himself  freely  on  all  occasions 
and  rendered  many  valuable  services. 

Afterwards  Doctor  Stephenson  became  interested  in  specu- 
lations created  by  the  war,^  and  toward  the  end  of  the  year 
1864  resigned  from  his  office.     He  died  November  11,  1883.^ 

'Mary  Jane  Mcl^ane,  Life  in  Washington  (1859),  p.  239. 

"IVashitigtoii  Chronicle,  November  13,  1864. 

3A.  N.  Somers,  History  of  Lancaster,  N.  H.  (1899),  p.  419. 

■•War  of  the  rebellion  records,  series  i,  vol.  27,  part  i,  p.  256;  Fifty-first  Con- 
gress, first  session,  House  miscellaneous  documents.  No.  146. 

5  Congress,  by  resolution  of  June  6,  1872,  made  an  appropriation  to  pay  Edward  G. 
Allen  |i,48o  purchase  money  for  books  for  the  Library  of  Congress,  due  in  1S62. 

^Evening  Star,  November  12,  14,  1883. 


384  DEVELOPMENT   OF  THE   LIBRARY,  1852-1864. 

Charles  Lanman,  former  librarian  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, was  a  candidate  for  the  expected  vacancy.  Among 
his  credentials  I  have  found  the  following: 

Baltimore,  November  ly,  1864.. 
Dear  Sir:  From  1113'  knowledge  of  you,  I  know  no  one  better  fitted 
for  the  offices  of  Congressional  Librarian  than  3'ourself ,  and  should  the 
present   excellent    incumbeiit    resign    I   shall   be   glad  to   see    >ou  his 
successor. 

With  respect,  Reverdy  Johnson. 

On  the  31st  of  December,  1864,  the  chief  assistant  libra- 
rian, ]Mr.  SpofTord,  was  appointed  Librarian. 


OTHER  LIBRARIES  OF  CONGRESS  AND  OF  THE 
GOVERNMENT 

23399—04 — 25  385 


Chapter  Nine. 

other  libraries  of  congress  and  of  the 
government. 

These  records  of  the  early  history  of  the  national  library 
would  be  incomplete  without  an  account  of  the  early  history 
of  the  two  libraries  of  Congress,  located  in  the  House  and 
Senate  wings  of  the  Capitol,  and  of  early  relations  with  the 
libraries  of  the  other  departments  of  the  Government  on 
the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other  hand  of  the  development 
of  the  idea  of  a  national  library,  as  illustrated  in  the  early 
history  of  the  Smithsonian  Library. 

HOUSE    LIBRARY. 

In  a  letter  to  Bdward  Bverett  March  5,  1828,  George 
Watterston  refers  to  a  library  connected  with  the  House 
of  Representatives.^ 

The  House  librarian  was  appointed  by  the  Clerk  of  the 
House  of  Representatives,  His  salary  was  $1,500,  the  same 
as  that  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress.^  Anne  Royall  thought 
the  office  a  sinecure.  "Where  is  the  library  of  the  House?" 
she  exclaimed,  and  "What  do  they  want  with  an  extra 
library?"^  An  assistant  librarian  was  added  in  1852,  and  by 
1864  three  assistants  were  required  to  attend  to  the  business 
of  the  Library. 

'The  act  of  May  24,  1828,  also  mentions  the  Library.  The  early  librarians  were 
Eleazer  Early,  1837;  Eliab  Kingman,  1840;  Simon  Brown,  1S43;  Philip  Williams, 
1S48;  John  A.  Parker,  1852  (see  Huntress  July  17,  1852);  Matthias  Martin,  1854; 
Cornelius  B.  Adams,  1856;  Andrew  R.  Potts,  1S58;  Calvin  C.  Chaffee,  i860;  Charles 
Lanman,  1863;  WhitelawReid,  iS62,-iS66.  —  Conslilu/ional Union,  December  15,  1863. 

^By  the  act  of  August  4,  1854,  it  was  increased  to  $1,800,  as  was  the  salary  of  the 
Librarian  of  Congress. 

^Huntress,  December  14,  1839. 

387 


388  OTHER   LIBRARIES   OF   CONGRESS. 

The  duties  of  the  librar}'  staff  are  illustrated  bj-  the  follow- 
ing printed  circular  letter: 

Library  of  the  House  of  Representatives, 

February  27,  1833. 
Gentlemen  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  who  may  have  books  in 
their  possession  belonging  to  the  librarj^  of  the  House,  are  respectfully 
requested  to  place  them  in  a  situation  to  be  easily  come  at  by  the  mes- 
senger, as  application  will  be  made,  from  daj^  to  daj',  at  their  rooms,  to 
bring  them  back  to  the  librar5^' 

The  library  consisted  mostly  of  public  documents,  of  which 
it  was  in  1864,  according  to  Librarian  Lanman,  the  chief 
depository.  Of  these  it  contained  several  sets  nearly  com- 
plete. It  also  possessed  at  that  time  the  best  collection  of 
Washington  newspapers  in  existence.^  In  1850  the  library 
was  said  to  contain  12,000  volumes;  in  1853,  30,000;  in  1859, 
50,000;  in  1864,  70,000. 

In  1 84 1  Mr.  Watterston  says  in  his  "Picture  of  Washing- 
ton," when  speaking  of  the  Hall  of  Representatives:  "  On  the 
left  of  the  eastern  lobb}-  are  the  Speaker's  room  and  that  of 
the  Sergeant-at-Arms,  and  above  the  latter  an  apartment  for 
bound  documents  and  State  papers  called  the  library  of  the 
House. "^  In  1850  Professor  Jewett  refers  to  the  librar}^  quar- 
ters as  a  series  of  closets,  triangular  rooms,  and  attics,  and 
the  Star  (October  14,  1853)  characterized  the  place  as  a  dis- 
grace to  the  House  of  Representatives. 

A  partial  remed}^  for  this  condition  of  affairs  was  found  in 
1858  b}'  making  a  room  near  the  Hall  of  Representatives  a 
branch  of  the  House  library.'^  A  more  effectual  remed}^  was 
hoped  for  after  the  completion  of  the  Capitol  extension.  In 
Robert  JMills's  plan  for  the  extension  of  the  Capitol,  reported 
May  28,  1850,  room  for  the  House  librarj^  was  obtained  from 
the  square  recess  of  the  existing  Hall  of  Representatives. 
Communication  with  the  librar}''  was  afforded  by  a  gallery 
leading  across  the  court  from  the  center  of  the  Hall  on  the 
same   floor.^     In    i860  the    librarian   and    the   House   Com- 

'  Watterston  JNLSS. 

'  Round  Table  i :  38. 

3  It  was  reached  by  a  flight  of  stairs  at  the  left  of  the  entrance  of  the  Hall. 

•»  Union,  January  3,  1S58. 

sThirty-first  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  report  No.  145,  p.  4. 


HOUSE   LIBRARY.  389 

mittee  on  Public  Buildings  still  hoped  that  this  plan  might 
be  carried  out,  but  it  was  understood  that  a  majority  of  the 
Committee  on  Public  Buildings  were  opposed  to  the  plan, 
believing  that  the  old  Hall  should  be  devoted  entirel}^  to  art, 
under  the  supervision  of  the  Art  Commission.' 

The  most  interesting  incident  in  the  earl}^  history  of  the 
House  librar}^  is  described  in  the  following  legislative  records: 

lu  the  House  op  Representatives,  February  i^,  iS6r. 
Mr.  Pr)-or  submitted  the  following  resolution,  which  was  adopted: 
Whereas  the  following  statements  have  appeared  in  the  New  York 
Titnes  newspaper: 

"providing  a  library  for  the  southern  confederacy. 

"  It  is  ascertained  that,  in  addition  to  the  other  frauds  perpetrated  by 
the  seceding  members  of  Congress,  they  have  taken  from  the  Congres- 
sional Library,  which  is  probably  the  best  in  this  country-,  containing 
many  books  which  can  not  be  obtained  elsewhere,  some  of  the  most 
valuable  volumes  in  the  whole  collection.  Thousands  of  dollars'  worth 
have  been  thus  abstracted  and  carried  off  by  these  members.  Among 
them,  a  single  South  Carolina  member,  I  am  informed,  has  more  than 
$400  worth  of  digests  of  the  most  valuable  character,  and  which  can 
never  be  replaced.  Scarcely  one  of  these  gentlemen  took  the  trouble  to 
return  his  books,  but,  on  the  contrary,  were  very  cautious  to  have  them 
carefully  packed  and  sent  off.  I  am  further  informed  that  a  member 
from  one  of  the  border  States,  who  favors  secession,  and  thought  his 
State  sure  to  secede,  sent  orders  for  upwards  of  $1,000  worth  of  books 
recently,  which,  under  the  rules  of  the  Librar}^  were  refused.  This  is 
regarded  here  to  be  very^  near  akin  to  what  Webster  defines  as  '  theft.'  " 
Therefore — 

Resolved,  That  a  select  committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  inquire 
into  the  truth  of  the  above  accusations,  and  that  said  committee  have 
power  to  send  for  persons  and  papers  and  have  leave  to  report  at  any 
time. 

Ordered,  That  Mr.  Pryor,  of  Virginia,  Mr.  Mayuard,  of  Tennessee, 
and  Mr.  Edwards,  of  New  Hampshire,  be  the  said  committee. 

On  the  2Sth  of  February  this  committee  reported  as  follows: 

A  brief  statement  will  place  the  House  in  possession  of  the  facts  as 
they  appear  from  the  evidence  given  before  j'our  committee.  Not  long 
since  an  employee  in  the  library'  of  the  House  prepared  a  statement  of 
the  accounts  of  the  late  members  from  the  seceding  States,  which  was 
taken  to  their  respective  residences  for  the  purpose  of  reclaiming  the 

^States  and  Unio7i,  March  24,  1S60. 


390  OTHER   LIBRARIES   OF   CONGRESS. 

books  that  they  had  procured  from  the  Hbrary,  and  which  had  not  been 
returned.  (See  statements  appended  to  this  report.)  FaiHng  to  find 
them,  Mr.  D.  A.  McElhone,  one  of  the  assistant  hbrarians,  was  directed 
to  take  the  accounts  and  endeavor  to  obtain  the  books.  He  also  failed 
to  get  them,  and  thereupon  carried  the  list  to  the  House  post-office  in 
order  to  have  the  mail  messengers  institute  a  search  for  them.  Mr. 
Soule,  one  of  the  assistants  in  the  post-office,  was  the  only  person  present 
when  Mr.  McElhone  called  there,  and  to  him  the  list  was  given  with  the 
request  that  he  would  see  that  the  matter  was  attended  to. 

Up  to  this  point  it  does  not  appear  that  there  was  any  belief  enter- 
tained by  any  person  that  there  had  been  any  wrong  or  fraud  perpe- 
trated upon  the  library  in  connection  with  these  missing  books.  But 
Mr.  Soule,  as  he  testified,  seems  to  have  jumped  to  the  conclusion,  not 
from  auj'thing  told  him  but  from  inferences  of  his  own,  that  these 
books  had  been  appropriated  by  the  late  members  to  their  own  use. 
Active  in  propagating  the  suspicion,  he  voluntarily  informed  Mr. 
Hutchins,  clerk  to  the  Committee  on  Indian  Affairs  of  this  House, 
and  a  correspondent  for  several  newspapers,  that  he  had  an  ' '  item ' ' 
for  him,  and  then  proceeded  to  state  what  he  imagined  to  be  the  facts 
about  the  missing  books.  Mr.  Hutchins  repeated  that  statement  to 
Mr.  H.  H.  Pangborn,  of  the  New  York  Daily  Times,  who,  with  little 
if  any  investigation,  prepared  his  version  of  the  transaction,  which  was 
telegraphed  to  the  Times  newspaper.  In  the  Times  office  the  heading 
' '  Providing  a  library  for  the  southern  Conf ederac}- ' '  was  prefixed  to  the 
statement,  which  appeared  in  that  paper  the  next  morning. 

The  same  issue  of  that  paper  also  contained  the  allegation  that  a 
member  "from  a  border  State,"  "who  favored  secession,"  had  ordered 
"more  than  one  thousand  dollars'  worth"  of  books  from  the  library, 
which  order  was  refused.  A  subsequent  statement  in  the  paper  named 
Mr.  De  Jarnette,  of  Virginia,  as  the  member  alluded  to.  It  appears 
from  the  testimony  before  your  committee  that  Mr.  De  Jarnette  was 
engaged  at  one  time  in  preparing  a  speech  for  delivery  in  this  House. 
While  thus  occupied  he  remarked  to  Mr.  Sheehy,  who  happened  to  be 
present  in  his  room,  and  who  was  then  an  emploj-ee  of  the  House,  that 
he  wanted  certain  information  to  enable  him  to  prepare  his  speech.  Mr. 
Sheehy  replied  that  he  could  obtain  it  from  the  House  librars',  and  was 
requested  by  Mr.  De  Jarnette  to  attend  to  it  for  him.  Subsequently  he 
told  Mr.  De  Jarnette  that  his  order  was  necessary  to  enable  him  to  get 
the  books,  and  at  his  request  he  (Mr.  vS.)  wrote  an  order  which  Mr.  De 
Jarnette  signed  without  reading,  supposing,  as  he  stated  to  your  com- 
mittee, that  it  called  for  not  more  than  25  volumes.  The  order,  how- 
ever, was  written  in  general  terms,  calling  for  a  ' '  .set  of  Co7igressional 
Globes,  Annals  of  Congress,  Jefferson's  and  Adams's  works,"  those  sets 
including  the  volumes  Mr.  De  Jarnette  desired  for  reference.  Full  sets 
of  these  works  would  embrace  more  than   100  volumes,  instead  of  the 


HOUSE    LIBRARY.  39 1 

20  or  25  volumes  that  Mr.  De  Jarnette  intended  to  have  ordered.  This 
order,  dated  Januar>'  28,  1861,  was  presented  by  Mr.  vSheehy  to  the  per- 
son in  attendance  at  the  Hbrary,  and  to  whom  Mr,  Sheehy  was  a  stran- 
ger. The  fact  that  an  order  for  so  large  a  number  of  volumes,  the  body 
of  it  written  in  a  different  script  from  that  of  the  signature,  was  pre- 
sented b}'  a  stranger  to  him  at  so  late  a  period  of  the  session  led  the 
assistant  librarian  to  refer  it  to  others  before  proceeding  to  fill  it.  And 
the  same  reasons  led  the  chief  clerk  to  suspend  it  for  a  time,  until  he 
could  get  more  information  in  regard  to  it.  Upon  the  assurance,  some- 
time afterwards,  that  it  was  the  order  of  Mr.  De  Jarnette,  directions 
were  given  to  comply  with  it.  But  by  that  time  Mr.  De  Jarnette  had 
prepared  his  speech  without  the  assistance  of  the  books  and  no  longer 
needed  them.  In  this  case,  as  in  the  other,  there  seems  to  have  been  no 
idea  entertained  of  any  improper  design  in  reference  to  the  books  until 
the  account  of  this  transaction  had  reached  the  same  persons  who  had 
given  the  objectionable  coloring  to  the  other. 

It  does  not  appear  from  the  testimony  taken  by  your  committee  that 
any  of  the  books  belonging  to  the  library'  have  been  taken  away  b}'  any 
of  the  late  members.  Nor  does  it  appear  that  the  books  they  obtained 
while  here  have  not  been  returned  to  the  library,  except  that  thej-  have 
not  been  credited  with  them  on  the  account  books  of  the  library-. 

Your  committee  regard  this  entire  charge  against  the  late  and  present 
members  of  this  House  as  a  fair  specimen  of  the  many  sensational 
dispatches  sent  from  this  cit)"  during  the  present  session  of  Congress  by 
the  various  persons  employed  as  special  correspondents  of  papers  at  a 
distance,  but  more  especially  of  the  New  York  Cit}-  papers.  A  desire  to 
state  something  that  shall  be  more  startling,  from  its  enormity  or  nov- 
elty, than  their  competitors  have  been  able  to  discover  or  devise,  or  even 
a  more  culpable  desire,  would  seem  to  be  the  controlling  motive  on  the 
part  of  those  who  are  thus  engaged.  With  little  if  any  inquiry  into  the 
correctness  of  the  many  rumors  that  come  to  their  ears,  with  the  most 
reckless  and  unwarranted  inferences  from  them,  with  little  regard  to  the 
effect  of  their  statements  upon  public  interests,  or  the  character  and 
reputation  of  individuals  in  public  and  private  life,  these  sensation  mon- 
gers daily  send  forth  to  the  country  statement  after  statement  as  entirely 
unfounded  and  baseless  as  those  to  which  the  attention  of  your  committee 
has  been  called.  Your  committee,  however,  are  not  of  the  opinion  that 
this  House  can  provide  any  remed}^  for  this  evil.  It  can  only  be  reme- 
died either  by  the  public  becoming  convinced  of  the  little  credit  and 
reliance  to  be  placed  upon  these  ' '  special  dispatches, ' '  or  by  the  pro- 
prietors of  the  public  press  exercising  more  care  in  the  selection  of  the 
agents  they  employ  for  this  purpose,  and  endeavoring  to  secure  the  serv- 
ices of  those  who  shall  be  more  influenced  by  considerations  of  truth  and 
justice,  and  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  privileges  and  courtesies  gra- 
tuitously extended  to  them  by  this  House. 


392  OTHER  LIBRARIES   OF   CONGRESS. 

While  considering  the  subject  referred  to  them,  the  attention  of  your 
committee  has  been  called  to  the  present  condition  of  the  library  of  the 
House,  as  being  such  as  to  almost  necessarily  render  impossible  its 
proper  management,  and  leading  to  the  commission  of  errors  in  the 
accounts  of  members,  such  as,  in  this  instance,  have  furnished  the  little 
foundation  required  for  such  statements  as  those  to  which  3'our  com- 
mittee have  referred.  The  library,  as  many  members  of  this  House  are 
well  aware,  is  contained  in  a  room  illy  adapted  for  that  purpose.  There 
is  no  catalogue  of  the  books  contained  in  it;  the  different  sets  of  the 
same  work  have  no  mark  or  number  on  them  to  designate  the  one  from 
the  other.  Those  having  charge  of  them,  while  they  ma}-  know  the 
number  of  the  different  works  there,  can  have  no  certain  information  of 
the  number  of  volumes  that  the  library  contains,  or  whether  all  the 
books  taken  out  at  any  time  have  ever  been  returned.  The  accounts 
and  books  of  the  library  are  their  only  guide,  and  the  testimony  taken 
by  your  committee  establishes  the  fact  that  they  are  not  free  from 
mistakes.  For  instance,  Mr.  Bonham,  of  South  Carolina,  was  charged 
with  42  volumes  upon  the  account  made  out  and  handed  to  Mr.  Soule, 
of  the  House  post-ofhce,  to  enable  the  messenger  to  reclaim  books  not 
returned;  yet,  upon  reference  to  the  account  books,  it  appears  that 
Mr.  Bonham  never  obtained  these  volumes  at  all.  Mr.  Hamilton,  of 
Texas,  is  charged  upon  the  account  books  with  119  volumes,  obtained 
at  the  last  session,  as  not  yet  returned.  The  testimony  before  your 
committee  shows  that  Mr.  Hamilton  gave  those  books,  before  the  close 
of  the  last  session,  to  a  messenger  of  the  post-office,  to  be  returned  to 
the  library;  and  it  was  not  until  so  informed  during  this  investigation 
that  Mr.  Hamilton  had  any  intimation  that  his  directions  had  not  been 
complied  with.  The  necessities  of  the  House  have  required  their 
removal  to  a  more  commodious  Hall.  The  increase  of  the  library, 
corresponding  with  the  increased  demands  of  the  House,  renders  the 
accommodations  provided  for  it  when  it  contained  a  much  less  number 
of  books  totally  inadequate.  Without  recommending  anj^  particular 
action  in  this  respect,  your  committee  would  say  that  the)'  deem  this  a 
subject  which  demands  the  early  consideration  of  the  House. 

Your  committee  herewith  submit  the  testimony  they  have  taken,  and 
recommend  that  the  same,  with  the  accompanjdng  report,  be  printed.' 

SENATE    LIBRARY. 

In  1849  (September  24)  the  Intclligencei'  reported  that  a 
circular  library  room  had  been  provided  for  the  Senate  over 
the  small  rotunda  in  the  north  part  of  the  Senate  wing.    This 

'  Thirty-sixth  Congress,  second  session,  House  report  No.  90:  Alleged  abstraction 
of  books  from  the  House  library.     February  2S,  1861.     64  pp. 


SENATE   LIBRARY.  393 

room  was  said  to  be  divided  into  20  compartments  or  recesses 
and  to  be  capable  of  holding  15,000  or  20,000  volumes. 

Kitber  this  report  was  based  upon  rumor  or  the  room  was 
afterwards  appropriated  to  other  purposes,  for  July  8,  1856, 
Mr.  Weller  submitted  the  following  resolution,  which  was 
considered  and  agreed  to:  "Resolved,  That  the  Committee 
on  the  L-ibrary  be  instructed  to  inquire  into  the  expediency 
of  having  a  suitable  room  fitted  up  for  a  Senate  librar}-, 
and  the  appointment  of  a  proper  person  to  take  charge  of 
the  same."  December  23,  1859,'  ^  similar  resolution  was 
submitted  by  Mr.  Mallory,  and  passed  February  i,  i860. 

December  14,  1863,  resolutions  to  the  same  effect  were  sub- 
mitted by  Mr.  Solomon  Foot,  as  follow^s: 

Resolved,  That  one  copy  of  each  of  the  books,  and  sets  of  books,  maps, 
charts,  atlases,  and  printed  bound  documents  in  the  possession  of  the 
Senate  be  collected  together  by  the  Secretary  from  the  various  rooms 
and  apartments  set  apart  for  the  use  of  the  Senate,  so  as  to  form  one 
complete  set  or  copy  of  each  and  all  of  the  same,  which  shall  be  properly 
arranged  in  classes  and  sections,  and  which,  together  with  such  other 
books  and  matters  as  may  from  time  to  time  be  directed  to  be  procured 
by  the  Committee  on  the  L,ibrar>'  of  the  Senate  for  that  purpose,  shall 
be  formed  into  a  library  of  the  Senate  for  the  special  use  of  its  members 
and  committees,  and  the  business  of  the  Senate  and  the  Secretary's 
office,  under  such  regulations  as  ma}'  be  prescribed  by  the  Committee  on 
the  Library  of  the  Senate  for  the  time  being,  which  regulations  shall  be 
printed  and  furnished  to  the  members,  committees,  and  officers  of  the 
Senate  at  the  commencement  of  each  session,  and  shall  be  obser^'ed  and 
conformed  to  by  them  until  modified  or  changed  by  the  committee  or  by 
the  order  of  the  Senate. 

Resolved,  That  a  librarian  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Secretarj-  of  the 
Senate  to  take  charge  of  the  said  library,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  keep 
a  complete  and  faithful  record  of  every  book,  map,  atlas,  received  or 
placed  in  such  librarj^,  and  diligently  to  make  himself  acquainted  with 
the  same,  so  as  to  be  able,  whenever  called  upon  by  a  member,  or  on  the 
part  of  a  committee  of  the  Senate,  or  the  office  of  the  Secretary,  to 
furnish  such  book  or  other  article  for  use  in  the  library,  or  anj-  infor- 
mation, in  tabular  or  other  form,  that  ma)'  be  required  from  them,  and  to 
take  a  particular  account  of  every  book  or  other  article  delivered  out  of 
the  library  to  any  member,  or  committee,  or  the  Secretary,  and  to  require 

'  On  the  4tli  of  January,  1S59,  the  Senate  had  moved  into  their  present  Chamber 
in  the  north  \\  ing  of  the  Capitol  extension. 


394  OTHER   LIBRARIES   OF   CONGRESS. 

its  return  into  the  library  according  to  the  regulations  prescribed  bj^  the 
said  Committee  on  the  Library,  or  the  Senate,  and  also  to  perform  such 
other  duties  in  the  said  library  as  may  be  prescribed  by  the  said  com- 
mittee, the  Senate,  or  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate;  and  the  compensation 
of  the  said  librarian  shall  be  two  thousand  dollars  per  annum,  with  the 
same  official  qualification,  under  oath,  and  subject  to  the  same  penalties 
for  neglect  or  violation  of  the  rules  as  are  the  other  officers  of  the  Senate. 
Resolved,  That  the  arrangement  made  for  the  occupation  of  the  rooms 
of  the  north  extension  of  the  Capitol,  set  apart  for  the  Senate  by  the 
resolution  of  the  i8th  of  Januar}',  1858,  be  so  far  changed  that  the 
rooms  numbered  99,  100,  and  loi  shall  be  appropriated  for  this  librarj^, 
and  the  rooms  numbered  87,  89,  and  11 1  shall  be  appropriated  for  the 
use  of  select  committees  and  such  other  committees  not  already  occupy- 
ing separate  rooms  as  may  be  assigned  to  them  hy  the  presiding  officer 
of  the  Senate  for  the  time  being,  unless  otherwise  ordered  b}^  the  Senate. 

These  resolutions  were  accompanied  with,  the  following 
communication  to  IMr.  Foot  from  Mr.  W.  Hickey,  chief 
clerk  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate: 

Office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate,  U.  S., 

August  2^,  iS6j. 

Dear  Sir:  Agreeably  to  the  request  made  when  last  I  had  the  pleas- 
ure of  seeing  you  in  Washington,  I  have  now  the  honor  of  submitting 
the  following  remarks  in  relation  to  the  establishment  of  a  library  for 
the  Senate,  which  you  have  so  favorabl}'  contemplated  and  desired  for 
some  years  past. 

The  Public  Librar}'  of  Congress,  containing  books  on  all  the  various 
branches  of  history,  literature,  science,  and  on  miscellaneous  subjects, 
is  accessible  to  and  may  be  used  by  members  of  both  Houses  of  Con- 
gress, the  President,  heads  of  Departments,  the  judges  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  and  other  public  officers,  as  well  as  by  other  persons,  under  cer- 
tain rules  and  regulations  applicable  to  them  according  to  circumstances. 

The  Congressional  law  library,  containing  a  full  and  complete  col- 
lection of  the  laws  of  the  United  States  and  of  the  several  States,  the 
reports  of  the  decisions  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  and 
of  the  States,  as  well  as  of  the  English  and  other  foreign  courts 
and  authorities,  and  an  extensive  collection  of  the  most  valuable  works 
on  jurisprudence  in  all  its  departments  and  branches,  and  by  the  best 
authors,  maj'  also  be  used  by  the  same  persons  having  access  to  the 
Public  Library  of  Congress,  and  under  like  regulations. 

The  private  library  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  containing  the 
bound  documents  and  reports,  the  journals  of  both  Houses  of  Congress, 
and  the  documents  and  books  compiled  and  printed  under  their  author- 
ity, as  well  as  other  publications,  is  intended  for  the  special  use  of  the 


SENATE   LIBRARY.  395 

members  of  that  House.  It  has  a  librarian  to  take  care  of  these  books 
and  furnish  them  to  the  members  when  desired. 

The  President  and  each  of  the  Executive  Departments  has  a  private 
librar\-,  appropriately  selected,  and  kept  for  his  and  their  private  use. 

But  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  has  no  private  library  for  the 
special  use  of  its  members;  which  privation  has  subjected  them,  for 
many  years  past,  to  much  inconvenience  and  disadvantage. 

The  library  here  alluded  to  would  consist  of  the  journals,  documents, 
reports,  and  debates  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress,  the  laws,  treaties, 
and  other  books  and  publications,  which  contain  a  full  and  complete 
history  of  the  national  legislation,  the  principles  governing  the  same, 
as  illustrated  by  the  reports,  debates,  statistics,  and  information  upon 
which  the  action  of  the  Government  has  been  founded.  All  this 
information  is  constantly  essential  to  the  members  of  the  National 
Legislature  and  should  at  all  times  be  entirely  accessible  to  the  con- 
venient use  of  every  member. 

The  books  containing  this  information,  together  with  many  other  pub- 
lications referred  to  in  the  statement  accompanying  these  remarks,  have 
been  printed,  collected,  or  purchased  from  time  to  time  for  the  Senate,  for 
the  use  of  its  members  and  committees,  and  are  now  in  its  possession,  in 
different  rooms  and  apartments,  but  for  the  want  of  a  proper  library  and 
librarian  of  suitable  qualifications  to  take  care  of  the  books  and  to  fur- 
nish promptly  whatever  information  might  be  wanted  from  them,  the 
books  have  been  comparativelj^  useless.  Great  inconvenience  has  resulted 
to  members,  on  pressing  emergencies,  from  not  knowing  where  to  find 
particular  books,  and  a  considerable  loss  of  books  has  occurred  from 
having  no  person  particularly  responsible  to  keep  an  account  and  take 
care  of  them,  which  evil  threatens,  in  process  of  time,  the  loss  of  the 
most  valuable  of  them. 

The  private  library'  of  the  Senate  may  properly  be  formed  or  consti- 
tuted of  books  and  documents  which  are  almost  wholly  within  its  own 
possession,  but  which,  being  scattered  about  in  various  rooms  and  apart- 
ments, as  before  stated,  have  heretofore  been  in  many  cases  unavailable 
and  inaccessible  as  sealed  books,  they  being  in  different  places,  without 
any  systematic  arrangement  and  without  any  individual  particularly 
responsible  for  their  care  and  preservation  or  for  their  prompt  use  by 
members  who  may  desire  it. 

This  individual  or  librarian  should,  by  attention  and  study,  acquire  a 
knowledge  of  the  books  which  would  enable  him  to  aid  the  members  in 
obtaining  the  desired  information  from  them,  and  to  collect  and  arrange, 
in  tabular  and  other  forms,  statistical  information  for  their  use. 

Much  inconvenience  will  always  arise  from  the  mere  bulk  or  multi- 
plicity of  the  books  and  documents,  unless  they  are  kept  properly  clas- 
sified and  arranged  under  the  particular  care  and  responsibiHty  of  an 


396  OTHER   LIBRARIES   OF   CONGRESS. 

individual  well  qualified  for  the  dut}-.  This  officer  should  be  under  the 
direction  of  the  Secretarj^  of  the  Senate. 

This  duty  of  furnishing  information  from  these  books  has  heretofore, 
in  many  cases,  been  performed  by  clerks  in  the  Secretary's  office  whose 
experience  in  the  public  business  has  enabled  them  in  this  way  to  serv^e 
the  members  by  collecting  for  them  statistical,  historical,  political,  and 
other  information  from  the  books  and  documents;  but  this  duty  has 
been  extra  official,  or  out  of  the  line  of  the  ordinary  official  business, 
making  it  necessar}'-  frequently  for  the  clerks  to  leave  or  postpone,  for  a 
time,  such  business,  in  order  to  enter  into  researches  and  examinations 
requiring  in  man}^  cases  much  industry,  time,  and  labor  to  accomplish. 
The  manner  in  which  these  clerks,  when  called  upon,  have  performed 
this  duty  has  been  well  known  to  their  friends  in  the  Senate,  and,  it  is 
believed,  has  generally  given  satisfaction  where  the  public  duties  of  the 
Senate,  from  their  pressing  nature,  have  not  absolutely  precluded  the 
possibility  of  attending  to  such  calls  for  information  to  be  collected  by 
the  clerks;  but  members  have,  no  doubt,  on  some  pressing  emergencies, 
been  embarrassed  by  not  speedily  obtaining  in  this  way  information, 
and  such  members  can  more  particularly  appreciate  an  arrangement  bj^ 
which  all  these  sources  of  information  will  alwaj'S  be  within  their  own 
reach,  aided  by  a  w^ell-qualified  person  whose  exclusive  duty  it  will  be 
at  all  times  to  refer  to  or  to  collect  and  furnish  such  desired  information. 

This  arrangement  would  be  intended  mainl}'  for  the  accommodation 
of  individual  members,  but  every  committee  would  find  in  this  empo- 
rium all  the  facts,  precedents,  and  information  appropriate  to  the  busi- 
ness of  such  committee,  to  be  derived  from  past  opinions,  decisions,  and 
experience  upon  all  subjects  which  had  ever  been  before  Congress;  nor 
would  this  necessarily  interfere  with  the  employment  or  occupation  of 
the  committe  clerks,  for  they  would,  without  doubt,  find  in  this  library 
ever}^  proper  aid  and  facility  in  the  more  thorough  and  prompt  execu- 
tion of  their  respective  duties  to  the  committees  by  whom  they  were 
appointed. 

Experience  has  shown  that  legislators  have  frequent  occasion  in  the 
preparation  of  their  views,  in  the  progress  of  delivering  them,  or  in  the 
preparation  of  reports,  bills,  or  resolutions,  to  refer  to,  examine,  and 
digest  the  proceedings,  action,  and  results  upon  the  same  or  kindred 
subjects  on  previous  occasions,  in  order  to  ascertain  or  be  well  assured 
of  opinions,  arguments,  facts,  and  decisions  wdiicli  might  otherwise  be 
unknown,  or  having  been  once  heard  or  seen,  would  depend  upon  the 
memory  alone.  The  necessity  for  such  preparation  is  acknowledged  by 
all  who  believe  that  statesmanship  comes  from  attentive  .study,  as  well 
as  calm,  deliberate,  and  prudent  deductions  from  established  principles 
and  practical  experience,  rather  than  from  hasty  conclusions  founded  on 
mere  chimeras,  speculative  notions,  intuitive  presumptions,  or  on  incon- 
siderate and  unsustained  opinions. 


SENATE  LIBRARY.  397 

Ou  occasions  requiriug  such  investigations,  much  time  and  labor  have 
been  expended  by  members  in  the  mere  occupation  of  hunting  up  the 
sources  and  the  means  of  obtaining  the  desired  information,  which  might 
otherwise  have  been  saved  by  this  arrangement,  and  been  more  profita- 
bly employed  upon  the  subject  in  hand. 

For  these  reasons  it  would,  indeed,  seem  to  be  an  object  worthy  the 
attention  of  the  Senate,  collectively,  to  provide  such  means  to  every 
indi\ddual  member,  to  enable  him  to  perform  his  high  and  important 
functions  conscientiously  and  acceptabl}'. 

The  consistency,  wisdom,  and  propriety  of  measures  of  legislation  may 
frequently  depend  upon  the  proper  use  of  such  means  of  information 
and  its  practical  application  to  objects  necessary  to  secure  the  general 
interests,  welfare,  and  happiness  of  the  country. 

The  proposed  private  library  for  the  Senate  may  be  located  in  proper 
apartments  devoted  exclusively'  to  the  use  of  the  Senators,  where  a 
member  seeking  facts  or  information  upon  any  given  subject  may,  at 
any  time,  have  recourse.  There  he  would  find  convenient  tables,  com- 
fortable chairs,  with  the  books  properly  classified  and  arranged  on 
shelves  around  him,  where  he  could  help  himself  to  any  books  he  might 
desire  to  read  or  examine,  or,  by  asking  for  what  he  desired  to  use,  be 
furnished  with  it  by  the  librarian.  Here  he  might  resort  from  time  to 
time  without  interruption  to  pursue  or  resume  investigations,  or  obtain 
information  to  his  entire  satisfaction,  and  with  the  least  possible  incon- 
venience or  loss  of  time,  for  this  library  should  be  accessible  both  day 
and  night  during  the  sessions  of  Congress  or  of  the  Senate. 

A  long  course  of  experience  in  the  service  of  the  Senate  authorizes 
me  to  say  that  the  proper  establishment,  judicial  regulation,  and  faith- 
ful attendance  upon  such  a  private  library  for  this  honorable  body  is  a 
desideratum  of  much  importance,  so  much  so  that  when  once  established 
and  enjoyed  it  will  be  considered  so  indispensabl}'  necessary  as  to  form 
a  subject  of  astonishment  that  it  had  not  long  since  been  authorized. 

That  this  expectation  may  be  fully  realized,  and  all  the  advantages 
contemplated  by  this  arrangement  secured  to  the  honorable  Senate,  to 
which  I  owe,  in  gratitude,  my  best  services  and  the  fruits  of  my  experi- 
ence in  its  service,  and  that  it  may  result  in  the  more  general  and 
correct  diffusion  of  facts  and  the  dissemination  of  the  fundamental 
principles  of  the  Constitution,  as  expounded  by  George  Washington  and 
the  noble  galaxy  of  American  patriots  and  statesmen  who  have  succeeded 
him,  all  of  which  will  be  illustrated  by  this  library,  are  my  only  motives 
for  these  remarks. 

As  much  of  the  convenience  or  usefulness  of  this  library  will  depend 
upon  the  description,  proper  classification,  and  arrangement  of  the  books, 
I  beg  leave  to  submit  the  accompanying  programme,  which  presents  to 
view  not  only  an  appropriate  classification,   but  a  description  of   the 


398  OTHER  LIBRARIES   OF   CONGRESS. 

books  and  means  of  information  which  the  Senate  has  already  in  its  own 
possession  for  the  commencement  of  this  librar)'. 

These  books  will  form  a  library'  embracing  political  history  and  the 
whole  national  legislation  of  the  country,  including  reports,  bills,  reso- 
lutions, debates,  proceedings,  votes,  and  acts  of  Congress  under  the  Con- 
stitution, and  proceedings  of  the  Congress  of  the  Confederation;  the 
acts  and  proceedings  of  the  executive  department  of  the  Goverpment, 
so  far  as  they  have  been  communicated  to  Congress;  the  intercourse 
with  foreign  nations,  illustrating  the  American  polity  and  its  views  of 
international  law,  and  principles  based  uprn  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States;  the  statistics  of  population  and  emigration,  of  the  finances, 
commerce  and  navigation,  the  post-office,  relations  with  the  Indian  tribes, 
the  public  lands  and  private  land  claims,  the  military  and  naval  affairs, 
and  public  and  private  claims,  and  of  all  the  various  branches  of  the 
public  service;  the  writings  and  papers  of  eminent  American  statesmen 
and  patriots;  books  and  compilations  containing  national  and  interna- 
tional laws  and  principles;  the  decisions  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States,  and  many  books  of  a  public  character  that  go  to  make  up 
a  collection  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  use  of  Senators  and  statesmen. 

In  this  library  should  be  collected  and  found  the  indexes  of  the  Con- 
gressional and  law  libraries,  of  the  libraries  of  the  several  Executive 
Departments  as  well  as  of  other  public  libraries  in  the  States  and  the 
District  of  Columbia  that  have  been  printed  and  can  be  obtained. 

Experience  has  suggested  the  expediency',  as  well  as  the  necessity,  of 
establishing  this  library  for  the  use  of  the  members  of  the  Senate,  if  it 
were  for  no  other  purpose  than  that  of  preserving  the  books,  etc.,  from 
being  lost  and  of  securing  them  for  future  use,  under  the  special  care  of 
a  competent  individual  made  particularly  responsible  for  their  continued 
care  and  preservation  and  their  readiness  at  any  and  all  times  for  the 
use  of  the  members  and  committees  of  the  Senate. 

When  I  first  entered  the  service  of  the  Senate,  at  the  session  of  1824-25, 
there  had  been  no  printed  documents  or  bills  of  either  house  of  Con- 
gress preserved  from  one  session  to  another,  except  the  few  copies 
that  were  bound,  but  every  loose  or  surplus  copy  of  every  document, 
report,  bill,  or  resolution  that  had  not  during  the  session  been  taken 
away  by  the  subordinate  employees  of  the  two  Houses  and  sold  to 
grocers  and  other  merchants  for  wrapping  paper  were,  at  the  close  of 
every  session,  by  those  employees,  gathered  up  and  thus  disposed  of,  so 
that  at  any  future  session  not  a  single  copy  of  any  document,  report, 
bill,  or  resolution  could  be  obtained  by  a  member  for  his  public  or  private 
use  or  to  facilitate  the  business  of  the  committees.  The  only  mode  of 
obtaining  a  copj^  was  by  having  it  reprinted  or  copied  in  manuscript, 
eitlier  of  which  modes  was  attended  with  extra  expense  and  consump- 
tion of  time,  which  excluded  the  idea  of  availability  for  present  or 
immediate  use. 

Taking  the  matter  in  hand  as  soon  as  I  entered  the  service  of  the 


SENATE   LIBRARY.  399 

Senate  I  preserved  at  least  ten  copies  of  every  document,  report,  bill, 
and  resolution  both  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  that 
had  been  printed  for  the  future  use  of  the  members  and  committees  of 
the  Senate  and  the  official  business  of  the  Secretary's  office.  The  con- 
venience and  advantages  of  this  conservative  arrangement  were  at  once 
recognized  and  acknowledged  by  both  Senators  and  Representatives,  the 
latter  of  whom  frequently  availed  themselves  of  this  arrangement  for  the 
Senate,  and  it  was  not  long  before  a  similar  arrangement  was  necessarily 
made  for  the  House  of  Representatives.  These  documents,  reports, 
bills,  and  resolutions  have  been  regularlj^  filed  and  labeled  and  continued 
down  to  the  present  time  in  both  houses,  whose  members  and  com- 
mittees have  too  often  been  supplied  and  accommodated  with  these  doc- 
uments, reports,  bills,  and  resolutions  for  the  facilities  of  the  public 
business  to  require  any  further  explanation  upon  the  subject. 

These  are  now  on  the  Senate  side  under  the  care,  management,  and 
responsibility  of  Mr.  Titcomb,  a  worthy,  intelligent,  and  obliging  officer, 
and  in  such  hands  will  always  be  a  very  great  convenience  to  the  mem- 
bers and  committees  of  the  Senate. 

These  accommodations,  however  great  and  numerous  as  they  have 
been  in  the  ordinarj^  business  of  the  Senate,  are  of  a  minor  order  and 
degree  compared  with  those  which  will  result  in  the  examination  and 
consideration  of  the  more  important  affairs  of  state  from  the  establish- 
ment of  the  library  now  recommended  for  the  especial  use  of  the  mem- 
bers and  committees  of  the  Senate. 

All  of  which,  together  with  the  following  programme  for  the  classifi- 
cation of  the  books  for  the  proposed  library,  is  most  respectfull)'  sub- 
mitted by  your  faithful  and  obedient  servant.' 

This  programme  for  the  classification  of  the  Senate  library- 
arranged  the  collection  in  twenty  classes:^ 

I.  The  colonial  history  of  the  United  States  and  documentary  and 
other  history  of  the  Revolution,  2,  Legislative  proceedings  and  acts  of 
the  Congress  of  the  Confederation  from  the  commencement  of  the  Revo- 
lution to  the  commencement  of  the  Government  under  the  Constitution. 
3.  Journal,  acts,  and  proceedings  of  the  convention  which  framed  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States.  4.  The  journal  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  of  the  United  States  from  March  4,  1789,  to  March  3, 
1863.  5.  The  legislative  journal  of  the  Senate  of  the  United  States 
from  March  4,  1789,  to  March  3,  1863.  6.  The  executive  journal  of 
the  vSenate  from  March  4,  1789,  to  March  3,  1863.  7.  The  journal  or 
record  of  the  Senate  on  trials  of  impeachment  from  March  4,  1789,  to 
March  3,  1863.  8.  Documents  or  papers  communicated  to  both  Houses 
of  Congress  since  the  4th  of  March,  1789.  9.  Documents  printed  in 
octavo  form  by  order  of  the  Senate  during  each  session  from  March  4, 

'  Thirty -eighth  Congress,  first  session.  Senate  miscellaneous  document  No.  3. 
'Ibid,  No.  4. 


400  OTHER  LIBRARIES   OF  CONGRESS. 

1789,  to  March  3,  1863.  10.  Documents  printed  in  octavo  form  by 
order  of  the  House  of  Representatives  from  March  4,  1789,  to  March 
3,  1863.  II.  Debates  in  Congress,  embracing  the  speeches  made  in 
the  two  Houses  of  Congress  from  March  4,  1789,  to  March  3,  1863. 
12.  Laws  of  the  United  States.  13.  Abridgments  and  digests  of  the 
laws  of  the  United  States.  14.  Indexes  prepared  in  conformity  with 
orders  or  resolutions  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of 
the  United  States,  respectively.  15.  Reports  of  the  decisions  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States.  16.  Publications  on  the  subject 
of  the  public  lands  and  private  land  claims  under  the  authority  of  the 
United  States.  17.  Revenue  laws,  commercial  regulations,  digests  of 
tariff  laws,  etc.  18.  Miscellaneous  books  printed  or  furnished  under 
the  authority  or  patronage  of  the  United  States  and  not  noticed  under 
particular  heads.  19.  Miscellaneous  publications  containing  useful 
political,  statistical,  and  other  information.  20.  Atlases  or  books  of 
maps. 

These  documents  were  referred  to  tlie  Committee  on  the 
Library,  who,  on  the  i8th  of  January,  1864,  submitted  by 
Mr.  Collamer  an  adverse  report,  which  was  concurred  in. 

The  tendencj^  to  keep  the  control  of  the  Government  libraries 
in  the  hands  of  Congress,  to  establish  branches  of  the  Library 
of  Congress  rather  than  independent  libraries,  is  well  shown 
in  the  legislation  regarding  the  library  of  the  Patent  Of&ce. 
The  appropriation  for  that  library,  July  4,  1836,  provided 
$1,500  to  be  expended  under  the  direction  of  the  Committee 
on  the  Library  of  Congress.  The  advantage  of  such  centrali- 
zation was  felt  by  the  Commissioner  of  Patents  also.  In  his 
report,  January  29,  1845,  he  said  that  if  he  were  permitted 
to  take  books  from  the  Library  of  Congress  it  would  relieve 
him  from  the  necessity  of  purchasing  some  rare  publications 
for  his  Office. 

In  the  relations  of  the  Library  of  Congress  with  the  only 
public  library  of  the  District — the  Washington  Library — this 
same  tendency  toward  centralization  is  manifest.  This  is 
shown  particularly  in  the  vote  of  the  Joint  Library  Com- 
mittee, March  13,  1830,  "That  the  books  separated  from  the 
Library,  for  sale,  be  deposited  with  the  Washington  Company, 
they  giving  a  receipt  therefor  and  becoming  responsible  for 
their  return  to  the  Library  of  Congress  when  required.'" 

'Journal  of  the  Washington  Library  Company,  October  3,  1828,  March  12,  1829; 
Minutes  of  the  Joint  Library  Committee,  March  13,  1830;  Telegraph,  July  23,  1830. 


THE  SMITHSONIAN  INSTITUTION  AND  PLANS  FOR  A 
NATIONAL  LIBRARY 


23399—04 26  401 


Chapter  Ten. 

the  smithsonian  institution  and  plans  for  a 
national  library. 

Although  at  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century  Wash- 
ington was  probably  better  supplied  with  books  than  any 
other  city  in  the  Union,  the  United  States  was  without  a 
national  library.  The  reasons  for  this  were  many.  There 
was  little  local  interest  in  libraries.  An  extract  from  the 
London  Times  on  the  British  Museum  in  the  National 
Intelligencer  for  September  30,  1842;  articles  on  the  new 
Astor  Library  in  New  York  in  the  National  Intelligejicer  for 
September  24,  1858,  and  February  25,  1862,  and  an  extended 
series  of  articles  on  the  history  of  libraries  in  the  National 
Intelligencer  for  September  11  and  18,  October  8,  November 
3,  5,  and  21,  and  December  i  and  18,  1846,  are  the  only 
pieces  of  mere  library  literature  to  be  found  in  the  columns 
of  the  local  press.  Nor  was  there  much  interest  elsewhere 
in  the  establishment  of  a  national  library;  one  political 
party  was  opposed  to  the  establishment  of  any  national  insti- 
tutions, and  others  were  opposed  to  the  establishment  of  any 
such  institutions  at  Washington.  Besides,  as  the  United 
States  Magazine^  said,  the  great  geographical  extent  of  the 
United  States,  the  number  of  cities  scattered  over  the  coun- 
try, metropolitan  in  their  wealth  and  character,  the  absence 
of  any  recognized  national  university,  and  the  fact  that 
Washington  was  only  the  political  capital,  not,  like  London 
and  Paris,  the  center  of  wealth,  literature,  and  population 
also,  all  hindered  the  realization  of  the  idea  of  a  national 
library  which  had  formed  in  the  minds  of  a  few  students 
anxious  for  the  literary  as  well  as  political  independence  of 
the  country.  This  condition  of  affairs  is  illustrated  by  the 
fact    that  while    about  half    of  the  volumes  in  the   British 

'Vol.  3,  p.  106,  August,  1856. 

403 


404  PLANS    FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

Museum  at  this  time  were  presents  to  the  library,  a  very 
small  per  cent  of  the  books  in  the  Librar^^  of  Congress 
had  been  presented  to  the  institution. 

The  Smithson  bequest  to  the  people  of  the  United  States 
seemed  to  some  students  to  present  the  long-desired  oppor- 
tunity for  the  creation  of  a  national  library.' 

The  most  prominent  advocate  of  the  library  plan  for  the 
organization  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  was  Rufus 
Choate.""  The  causes  in  which  this  distinguished  man  was 
engaged  during  his  career  were  for  the  most  part  private, 
not  public  causes,  but  here  an  opportunit}'  was  presented  to 
champion  a  measure  of  national  importance,  to  lay  a  founda- 
tion for  American  learning,  and  he  grasped  it,  for  to  him  the 
real  world  was  the  world  of  books,  particularly  Greek  books. 

On  the  9th  of  December,  1844,  Mr.  Choate  wrote  in  his 
journal:  "About  to  set  off  to  Washington.  *  *  *  The 
business  of  the  session  ought  to  engross,  and  shall,  my  chief 
attention.  The  Smithsonian  fund  ought  to  be  applied  to  a 
great  library,  and  a  report  and  a  speech  in  favor  of  such  an 
appropriation  are  the  least  I  owe  so  grand  and  judicious  a 
destination  of  a  noble  gift."^ 

A  bill  to  establish  the  Smithsonian  Institution  for  the 
Increase  and  Diffusion  of  Knowledge  among  Men  w^as  intro- 
duced into  the  Senate,  December  12,  1844,  b}'  Mr.  Tappan, 
of  Ohio.  Section  i  of  this  bill  provided  that  the  librar}-^  of 
the  institution  should  consist  of  works  on  science  and  the 
arts  relating  to  the  ordinary  business  of  life,  mechanical  and 
other  improvements  and  discoveries. 

On  the  8th  of  January,  1845,  ^^^  Tappan  bill  was  taken 
up  for  discussion,  and  Mr.  Choate,  in  a  speech  which  the 
North  American  Review'-  said  would  in  future  times  render 
more  memorable  the  day  on  which  it  was  delivered  than  that 

'There  is  a  historj-  of  the  Smithsonian  library,  by  Cyrus  Adler,  in  "The  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  1846-1896.  The  history  of  its  first  half  centurj-,  edited  bj'  George 
Brown  Goode"  (1897),  pp.  265-302.  I  shall  present  in  this  place  in  more  detail  a 
history  of  opinion  regarding  the  Smithsonian  as  a  national  library  and  of  the  early 
undertakings  of  the  Smithsonian  library  in  its  capacity  as  a  national  library. 

=  lMwin  P.  Whipple,  Some  recollections  of  Rufus  Choate  (1879),  pp.  38,  87. 

3 Samuel  G.  Brown,  Life  of  Rufus  Choate,  2d  ed.,  1870,  p.  128. 

*  Vol.  79,  p.  459. 


c  ix^ 


^ 


lL^    ^  On    "1^ 


History  of  tlic  I^ibriiry  of  C'onjjress,  vol.  i,  plate  25. 


SENATOR  CHOATE'S  SPEECH.  405 

gallant  militar}^  achievement  of  wliicli  it  is  the  anniversary, 
advocated  the  devotion  of  the  larger  part  of  the  Smithsonian 
fund  to  the  establishment  of  a  national  library.  After  review- 
ing the  provisions  contained  in  the  bill  for  a  college  of 
applied  science,  he  said: 

It  is  easy  to  waste  this  mone}';  it  is  easy  to  squander  it  in  jobs,  sala- 
ries, quackeries;  it  is  easy,  even  under  the  forms  of  utihty,  to  disperse 
and  dissipate  it  in  Httle  rills  and  drops,  imperceptible  to  all  human  sense, 
carrying  it  off  by  an  insensible  and  ineffectual  evaporation.  But,  sir,  I 
take  it  that  we  all  earnestly  desire — I  am  sure  the  Senator  from  Ohio 
does  so — so  to  dispense  it  as  to  make  it  tell.  I  am  sure  we  all  desire  to 
see  it,  instead  of  being  carried  off  invisibly  and  wastefully,  embody  itself 
in  some  form,  some  exponent  of  civilization,  permanent,  palpable,  con- 
spicuous, useful.  And  to  this  end,  it  has  seemed  to  me  upon  the  most 
mature  reflection,  that  we  can  not  do  a  safer,  surer,  more  unexception- 
able thing  with  the  income,  or  with  a  portion  of  the  income — perhaps 
$20,000  a  year  for  a  few  years — than  to  expend  it  in  accumulating  a 
grand  and  noble  public  library,  one  which  for  variety,  extent,  and  w^ealth 
shall  be,  and  be  confessed  to  be,  equal  to  any  now  in  the  world. 

I  say  for  a  few  years.  Twenty  thousand  dollars  a  year  for  twenty- 
five  years  are  $500,000,  and  $500,000  discreetly  expended,  not  by  a 
bibliomaniac,  but  by  a  man  of  sense  and  reading,  thoroughly  instructed 
in  bibliography,  would  go  far,  very  far,  toward  the  purchase  of  nearly 
as  good  a  library  as  Europe  can  boast.  I  mean  a  library  of  printed 
books,  as  distinct  from  manuscripts.  Of  course,  such  a  sum  would  not 
purchase  the  number  of  books  which  some  old  libraries  are  reported  to 
contain.  It  would  not  buy  the  700,000  of  the  Royal  Library  at  Paris, 
the  largest  in  the  world,  nor  the  500,000  or  600,000  of  that  of  Munich, 
the  largest  in  Germany;  nor  the  300,000,  400,000,  or  500,000  of  those 
of  Vienna  and  St.  Petersburg,  and  the  Vatican  at  Rome,  and  Copenhagen, 
and  the  Bodleian  at  Oxford.  But  mere  numbers  of  volumes  afford  a 
very  imperfect  criterion  of  value.  Those  old  libraries  have  been  so  long 
in  collecting;  accident  and  donation,  which  could  not  be  rejected,  have 
contributed  so  much  to  them,  a  general  and  indiscriminate  system  of 
accumulation  gathers  up,  necessarily,  so  much  trash;  there  are  so  many 
duplicates  and  quadruplicates,  and  so  many  books  and  editions  which 
become  superseded,  that  mere  bulk  and  mere  original  cost  must  not 
terrify  us.  Ponderantur  non  nuvierantur.  Accordingly  the  Library  of 
the  University  at  Gottingen,  con.sisting  of  perhaps  200,000  volumes,  but 
well  chosen,  selected  for  the  most  part  within  a  century,  and  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  by  a  single  great  scholar  (Heyue),  is  perhaps  to-day  as 
valuable  a  collection  of  printed  books  as  any  in  the  world.  Toward  the 
accumulation  of  such  a  library  the  expenditure  of  two-thirds  of  this 
income  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  would  make,  let  me  say,  a  magnificent 


4o6  PLANS   FOR   A    NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

advance.  And  sncli  a  step  taken  we  should  never  leave  the  work  unfin- 
ished; 5'et  when  it  should  be  finished,  and  your  library  should  rival 
an5'thing  which  civilization  had  to  show,  there  would  still  be  the  whole 
principal  of  your  fund  unexpended,  yielding  its  income  forever,  for  new 
and  varying  application  for  increasing  and  diffusing  knowledge  in  the 
world. 

(Dr.  Choate  here  read  a  letter  of  Professor  Torrey,  of  Burlington, 
showing  at  what  reduced  prices  valuable  books  maj'  now  be  purchased.) 

I  hesitate,  from  an  apprehension  of  being  accused  of  entering  too  far 
into  a  kind  of  dissertation  unsuited  to  this  assembly  of  men  of  business, 
to  suggest  and  press  one-half  the  considerations  which  satisf}^  my  mind 
of  the  propriety  of  this  mode  of  expenditure.  Nobody  can  doubt,  I 
think,  that  it  comes  within  the  terms  and  spirit  of  the  trust.  That 
directs  us  "to  increase  and  diffuse  knowledge  among  men."  And  do 
not  the  judgment  of  all  the  wise — does  not  the  experience  of  all  enlight- 
ened states — does  not  the  whole  history  of  civilization,  concur  to  declare 
that  a  various  and  ample  librarj^  is  one  of  the  surest,  most  constant,  most 
permanent,  and  most  economical  instrumentalities  to  increase  and  diffuse 
knowledge?  There  it  would  be — durable  as  liberty,  durable  as  the 
Union  ;  a  vast  storehouse,  a  vast  treasur}',  of  all  the  facts  which  make 
up  the  history  of  man  and  of  nature,  so  far  as  that  histor)^  has  been 
written ;  of  all  the  truths  which  the  inquiries  and  experiences  of  all  the 
races  and  ages  have  found  out ;  of  all  the  opinions  that  have  been  pro- 
mulgated ;  of  all  the  emotions,  images,  sentiments,  examples,  of  all  the 
richest  and  most  instructive  literatures ;  the  whole  past  speaking  to  the 
present  and  the  future;  a  silent,  yet  wise  and  eloquent  teacher;  dead, 
yet  speaking — not  dead!  for  Milton  has  told  us  that  a  "good  book  is 
not  absolutely  a  dead  thing — the  precious  life-blood  rather  of  a  master 
spirit ;  a  seasoned  life  of  man  embalmed  and  treasured  up  on  purpose  to 
a  life  beyond  life."  Is  not  that  an  admirable  instrumentality  to  increase 
and  diffuse  knowledge  among  men?  It  would  place  within  the  reach  of 
our  minds,  of  our  thinkers,  and  investigators,  and  scholars,  all,  or  the 
chief,  intellectual  and  literary  materials,  and  food  and  instruments,  now 
within  the  reach  of  the  cultivated  foreign  mind ;  the  effect  would  be  to 
increase  the  amount  of  individual  acquisition,  and  multiply  the  number 
of  the  learned.  It  would  raise  the  standard  of  our  scholarship,  improve 
our  style  of  investigation,  and  communicate  an  impulse  to  our  educated 
and  to  the  general  mind.  There  is  no  library  now  in  this  country,  I 
suppose,  containing  over  50,000  volumes.  Many  there  are  contain- 
ing less.  But,  from  the  nature  of  the  ca.se,  all  have  the  same  works ; 
so  that  I  do  not  know,  that  of  all  the  printed  books  in  the  world,  we 
have  in  this  country  more  than  50,000  different  works.  The  con.se- 
quence  has  been  felt  and  lamented  by  all  our  authors  and  all  our  scholars. 
It  has  been  often  said  that  Gibbon's  History  could  not  have  been  written 
here  for  want  of  books.     I  .suppose  that  Hallam's  Middle  Ages,  and  his 


SENATOR  CHOATE'S  SPEECH.  407 

introduction  to  the  literature  of  Europe,  could  not.  Ir\'ing's  Columbus 
was  written  iu  Spain.  Wlieaton's  Northmen  was  prepared  to  be  written 
in  Copenhagen.  See  how  this  inadequate  supply  operates.  An  Ameri- 
can mind  kindles  with  a  subject ;  it  enters  on  an  investigation  with  a 
spirit  and  with  an  ability  worthj^  of  the  most  splendid  achievement ;  goes 
a  little  way,  finds  that  a  dozen  books,  one  book,  perhaps,  is  indispensable, 
which  can  not  be  found  this  side  of  Gottingen  or  Oxford ;  it  tires  of  the 
pursuit,  or  abandons  it  altogether,  or  substitutes  some  shallow  conjecture 
for  a  deep  and  accurate  research,  and  there  an  end.  Let  me  refer  to 
a  passage  or  two  of  the  complaints  of  studious  men  on  this  subject : 

[Here  he  quoted  the  articles  on  a  national  library  published  in  the 
North  American  Review,  which  we  have  presented  on  pages  140  and  231. 
He  then  continued:] 

Yet  these  writers  had  access  to  the  best  library  in  this  country. 

Now,  there  are  ver}-  man)-  among  us,  and  every  day  we  shall  have 
more,  who  would  feelingly  adopt  this  language.  Place  within  their  reach 
the  helps  that  guide  the  genius  and  labors  of  Germany  and  England, 
and  let  the  genius  of  Germany  and  England  look  to  themselves!  Our 
learned  men  would  grow  more  learned  and  more  able,  our  studies  deeper 
and  wider,  our  mind  itself  exercised  and  sharpened,  the  whole  culture 
of  the  community  raised  and  enriched.  This  is,  indeed,  to  increase  and 
diffuse  knowledge  among  men. 

If  the  terms  of  the  trust,  then,  authorize  this  expenditure,  wh}^  not 
make  it?  Not  among  the  principal,  nor  yet  the  least,  of  reasons  for  doing 
so  is  that  all  the  while  that  you  are  la3-ing  out  your  money,  and  when 
you  have  laid  it  out,  3'ou  have  the  money's  worth,  the  value  received, 
the  property  purchased,  on  hand,  to  show  for  itself  and  to  speak  for 
itself.  Suppose  the  professor  provided  for  iu  the  bill  should  gather  a 
little  circle  of  pupils,  each  of  whom  should  carry  off  with  him  some 
small  quotient  of  navigation  or  horticulture  or  rural  econoni}-,  and  the 
fund  should  thus  glide  away  and  evaporate  in  such  insensible,  inappreci- 
able appropriations,  how  little  there  would  be  to  testify  of  it!  Whereas 
here,  all  the  while,  are  the  books;  here  is  the  value;  here  is  the  visible 
property;  here  is  the  oil,  and  here  is  the  light.  There  is  something  to 
point  to  if  5'ou  should  be  asked  to  account  for  it  unexpectedly,  and 
something  to  point  to  if  a  traveler  should  taunt  you  with  the  collections 
he  has  seen  abroad,  and  which  gild  and  recommend  the  absolutisms  of 
Vienna  or  St.  Petersburg. 

Another  reason,  not  of  the  strongest,  to  be  sure,  for  this  mode  of 
expenditure  is  that  it  creates  so  few  jobs  and  sinecures,  so  little  salaried 
laziness.  There  is  no  room  for  abuses  in  it.  All  that  you  need  is  a 
plain,  spacious,  fireproof  building,  a  librarian  and  assistants,  an  agent  to 
buy  your  books,  and  a  fire  to  sit  by.  For  all  the  rest,  he  who  wants  to 
read  goes  and  ministers  to  himself.  It  is  an  application  of  money  that 
almo.st  excludes  the  chances  of  abuses  altogether. 


4o8  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL  LIBRARY. 

But  the  decisive  argument  is,  after  all,  that  it  is  an  application  the 
most  exactly  adapted  to  the  actual  literary  and  scientific  wants  of  the 
States  and  the  country.  I  have  said  that  another  college  is  not  needed 
here,  because  there  are  enough  now,  and  another  might  do  harm  as 
much  as  good.  But  that  which  is  wanted  for  every  college,  for  the  whole 
country,  for  every  studious  person,  is  a  well-chosen  library  somewhere 
among  us  of  300,000  or  400,000  books.  Where  is  such  a  one  to  be  col- 
lected? How  is  it  to  be  done?  Who  is  to  do  it?  Of  the  150  colleges, 
more  or  less,  distributed  over  the  country  one  has  a  library  of  perhaps 
50,000  volumes;  others  have  good  ones,  though  less;  others  smaller  and 
smaller  down  to  scarcely  anything.  With  one  voice  they  unite,  teacher 
and  pupil,  with  every  scholar  and  thinker  in  proclaiming  the  want  of 
more.  But  where  are  they  to  come  from?  No  State  is  likely  to  lay  a 
tax  to  create  a  college  library  or  a  city  library.  No  death-bed  gift  of 
the  rich  can  be  expected  to  do  it.  How,  then,  is  this  one  grand  want 
of  learning  to  be  relieved?  It  can  be  done  b)^  you  and  by  you  alone.  By 
a  providential  occurrence  it  is  not  only  placed  within  j^our  constitutional 
power,  but  it  has  become  your  duty;  you  have  pledged  your  faith;  you 
have  engaged  to  the  dead  and  living  that,  without  the  charge  of  one 
dollar  of  the  people,  3^ou  will  meet  the  universal  and  urgent  demand  by 
the  precise  and  adequate  supply.  By  such  a  library  as  3'ou  can  collect 
here  something  will  be  done,  much  will  be  done,  to  help  every  college, 
every  school,  every  studious  man,  every  writer  and  thinker  in  the  coun- 
try to  just  what  is  wanted  most.  Inquirers  after  the  truth  may  come 
here  and  search  for  it.  It  will  do  no  harm  at  all  to  pass  a  few  studious 
weeks  among  these  scenes.  Having  pushed  their  investigations  as  far 
as  they  may  at  home,  and  ascertained  just  what  and  how  much  more  of 
help  they  require,  let  them  come  hither  and  find  it.  Let  them  replenish 
themselves  and  then  go  back  and  make  distribution  among  their  pupils; 
aye,  through  the  thousand  channels  and  by  the  thousand  voices  of  the 
press,  let  them  make  distribution  among  the  people!     Let  it  be  so  that — 

Hither  as  to  their  fountains  other  stars 
Repairing,  in  their  golden  urns,  draw  light. 

I  have  no  objection  at  all — I  should  rejoice  rather  to  see  the  literary 
representatives  of  an  instructed  people  come  hither,  not  merely  for  the 
larger  legislation  and  jurisprudence,  but  for  the  rarer  and  higher  knowl- 
edge. I  am  quite  willing,  not  only  that  our  "Amphictyonic  council" 
should  sit  here,  but  that  it  should  find  itself  among  some  such  scenes 
and  influences  as  surrounded  that  old  renowned  assembly,  the  fountain 
of  purer  waters  than  those  of  Castalia,  the  temple  and  the  oracle  of  our 
Apollo!  It  will  do  good  to  have  your  educated  men  come  to  Washing- 
ton for  what  has  heretofore  cost  voyages  to  Germany.  They  will  be  of 
all  the  parts  of  the  country.  They  will  become  acquainted  with  each 
other.     They  will  contract  friendships  and  mutual  regards.     They  will 


SENATOR   CHOATE'S   SPEECH.  409 

go  awa)-  not  onl}-  better  scholars,  but  better  unionists.  Someone  has 
said  that  a  great  librarj-  molds  all  minds  into  one  republic.  It  might, 
in  a  sense  of  which  he  little  dreamed,  help  to  keep  ours  together. 

I  have  intimated,  Mr.  President,  a  doubt  whether  a  college  or  uni- 
versity of  any  description,  even  the  highest,  should  be  at  present  estab- 
lished here.  But  let  it  be  considered  by  the  enlightened  friends  of  that 
object,  if  such  there  are,  that  even  if  your  single  purpose  were  to  create 
such  a  university  you  could  possibly  begin  in  no  way  so  judiciously  as 
by  collecting  a  great  library.  Useful  in  the  other  modes  which  I  have 
indicated,  to  a  university  it  is  everything.  It  is  as  needful  as  the  soul 
to  the  body.  While  you  are  doubting,  then,  what  to  do,  what  you  will 
have,  you  can  do  nothing  so  properly  as  to  begin  to  accumulate  the 
books  which  you  will  require  on  whatever  permanent  plan  of  applica- 
tion you  at  last  determine. 

I  do  not  expect  to  hear  it  said  in  this  assembly  that  this  expenditure 
for  a  library  will  benefit  a  few  only,  not  the  mass;  that  it  is  exclusive 
and  of  the  nature  of  monopoly.  It  is  to  be  remembered  that  this  fund 
is  a  gift,  that  we  take  it  just  as  it  is  given,  and  that  by  its  terms  it  must 
be  disbursed  here.  Any  possible  administration  of  it,  therefore,  is 
exposed  to  the  cavil  that  all  can  not  directly,  and  literally,  and  equally 
partake  of  it.  How  many  and  of  what  classes  of  youth  from  Louisiana, 
or  Illinois,  or  New  England,  for  example,  can  attend  the  lectures  of  your 
professor  of  astronomy?  But  I  say  it  is  a  positive  and  important  argu- 
ment for  the  mode  of  application  which  I  urge  that  it  is  so  diffusive. 
Think  of  the  large  absolute  numbers  of  those  who,  in  the  succession  of 
years  will  come  and  partake  directlj^  of  these  stores  of  truth  and  knowl- 
edge! Think  of  the  numbers  without  number  who,  through  them,  who 
by  them  indirectly  will  partake  of  the  same  stores!  Studious  men  will 
come  to  learn  to  speak  and  write  to  and  for  the  growing  millions  of  a 
generally  educated  community.  They  will  learn  that  they  may  com- 
municate. They  can  not  hoard  if  they  would  and  they  would  not  if 
they  could.  The}'  take  in  trust  to  di.-tribute;  and  every  motive  of  ambi- 
tion, of  interest,  of  duty  will  compel  them  to  distribute.  They  buy  in 
gross  to  sell  by  retail.  The  lights  which  they  kindle  here  will  not  set 
under  a  bushel,  but  will  bum  on  a  thousand  hills.  No,  sir;  a  rich  and 
public  library  is  no  anti-republican  monopoly.  Who  was  the  old  Egyp- 
tian king  that  inscribed  on  his  library  the  words  ' '  The  dispensary  of 
the  soul?"  You  might  as  well  inscribe  on  it  "armor}',  and  light,  and 
fountain  of  liberty  !" 

It  may  po.ssibly  be  inquired  what  account  I  make  of  the  Library  of 
Congress.  I  answer  that  I  think  it  already  quite  good  and  improving; 
but  that  its  existence  constitutes  no  sort  of  argument  again.st  the  forma- 
tion of  such  a  one  as  I  recommend.  In  the  theor>'  of  it,  that  Library  is 
collected  merely  to  furnish  Congress  and  the  Government  with  the  means 
of  doing  their  official  business.     In  its  theory  it  must  be,  in  some  sort, 


4IO  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

a  professional  library;  and  the  expenditure  we  now  make — $5,000  in  a 
year,  or,  as  last  j^ear,  $2,500 — can  never  carrj^  it  up  to  the  rank  and 
enable  it  to  fulfill  the  functions  of  a  truly  great  and  general  public 
library  of  science,  literature,  and  art.  The  value  of  books  which  could 
be  added  under  the  appropriations  of  the  last  year  can  not  greatly 
exceed  $2,200.  Doubtless,  however,  in  the  course  of  forming  the  two  it 
would  be  expedient  and  inevitable  to  procure  to  a  great  extent  different 
books  for  each. 

I  do  not  think,  Mr.  President,  that  I  am  more  inclined  than  another 
to  covet  enviously  anything  which  the  older  civilization  of  Europe  pos- 
sesses which  we  do  not.  I  do  not  suppose  that  I  desire  any  more  than 
you,  or  than  any  of  you,  to  introduce  here  those  vast  inequalities  of 
fortune,  that  elaborate  luxury,  that  fantastic  and  extreme  refinement. 
But  I  acknowledge  a  pang  of  envy  and  grief  that  there  should  be  one 
drop  or  one  morsel  more  of  the  bread  or  water  of  intellectual  life  tasted 
by  the  European  than  by  the  American  mind.  Why  should  not  the 
soul  of  this  country  eat  as  good  food  and  as  much  of  it  as  the  soul  of 
Europe  ?  Wh}^  should  a  German  or  an  Englishman  sit  down  to  a  repast 
of  500,000  books  and  an  American  scholar,  who  loves  truth  as  well  as 
he,  be  put  on  something  less  than  half  allowance?  Can  we  not  trust 
ourselves  with  so  much  of  so  good  a  thing?  Will  our  digestion  be 
impaired  b}-  it?  Are  we  afraid  that  the  stimulated  and  fervid  faculties 
of  this  young  nation  will  be  oppressed  and  overlaid?  Because  we  have 
liberty  which  other  nations  have  not,  shall  we  reject  the  knowledge 
which  they  have  and  which  we  have  not  ?  Or  will  you  not  rather  say 
that  because  we  are  free,  therefore  will  we  add  to  our  freedom  that  deep 
learning  and  that  diffused  culture  which  are  its  grace  and  its  defense  ? ' 

He  concluded  by  moving  tlie  following  amendment : 

Strike  out  the  eighth  section  and  insert: 

Sec.  8.  And  whereas  an  ample  and  well-selected  public  library  con- 
stitutes one  of  the  permanent,  constant,  and  effectual  means  of  increas- 
ing and  diffusing  knowledge  among  men  ;  therefore 

Be  it  further  enacted,  That  a  sum  not  less  than  twenty  thousand  dol- 
lars be  annually  expended,  of  the  interest  of  the  fund  aforesaid,  in 
the  purchase  of  books  and  manuscripts  for  the  formation  of  a  library  of 
the  Institution  aforesaid,  which,  for  its  extent,  variety,  and  value  shall 
be  worthy  of  the  donor  of  the  said  fund,  and  of  this  nation  and  of  this 
age.^ 

Mr.  Tappan  next  addressed  the  Senate: 

He  doubted  the  utility  of  such  an  extensive  and  costly  library  as  had 
been  suggested  by  the  Senator  from  Massachusetts;  he  doubted  the  pos- 
sibility of  laying  out  usefully  and  advantageously  $20,000  a  j'ear — or 

'^Congressional  Globe,  14:  Appendix,  63-64.  ''Ibid.,  14:  106. 


DEBATE  ON  CHOATE  AMENDMENTS.         411 

even  more  than  four  or  five  thousand  dollars  a  year — in  the  purchase  of 
books.  It  would  be  impossible  to  make  such  a  vast  collection  of  books 
as  $500,000  would  purchase,  without  including  cartloads — nay,  ship- 
loads— of  trash  not  worth  in  reality  the  cost  of  transport.  There  was 
the  Library  of  Congress,  to  the  increase  of  which  $5,000  was  annually 
appropriated,  and  it  was  well  known  that  this  sum  enabled  the  com- 
mittee to  procure  ever>'thing  coming  out  in  print  worth  procuring.  Yet, 
in  this  library,  small  in  comparison  to  any  of  those  foreign  libraries 
alluded  to  by  the  Senator,  he  protested  there  was  more  than  half  the 
books  that  he  would  not  take  a  gift  of  for  the  cost  of  transportation  to 
Ohio.' 

On  tlie  follomng  day  Mr.  Choate  withdrew  his  motion  of 
amendment,  and  moved  instead  to  strike  out  the  proviso  in 
the  first  section  of  the  bill,  which  runs  thus: 

Provided,  That  the  books  to  be  purchased  for  said  institution  shall 
consist  of  works  on  science  and  the  arts,  especially  such  as  relate  to  the 
ordinarj^  business  of  life,  and  to  the  various  mechanical  and  other 
improvements  and  discoveries  which  maj^  be  made. 

His  object  was  to  avoid  a  premature  decision  on  the  point 
at  issue  as  to  the  plan  of  a  general  librar}-,  or  special  one 
limited  to  works  on  phj'sical  science.  By  striking  out  the 
proviso  the  Senate  would  not  commit  itself,  the  question  as 
to  the  nature  of  the  library  being  reserved  for  amendment 
to  another  section  of  the  bill. 

]\Ir.  Tappan  considered  the  motion  to  strike  out  the  pro- 
viso must  produce  a  test  vote  on  the  ver}-  point  at  issue;  and 
if  that  test  was  desired,  it  might  as  well  be  taken  on  it  as  on 
any  other  amendment. 

He  argued  that  a  library  limited  to  the  works  on  science 
and  the  arts,  specified  in  the  proviso,  would  be  the  onl}'  suit- 
able and  appropriate  librar}-  for  the  institution.  There  was 
no  necessity  for  another  general  librar}-  in  the  city  of  Wash- 
ington, where  the  Government  had  already  the  Library  of 
Congress,  the  libraries  of  the  State,  War,  Nav}-,  and  other 
public  Departments,  annually  augmented  b}'  means  of  large 
appropriations.' 

Mr.  Pearce  also  wished  to  strike  out  this  proviso. 

If  he  understood  the  object  aimed  at  by  the  Senator  from  Massachu- 
setts, it  was  to  make  the  interest  of  this  numificent  bequest  accomplish 

^  Congressional  Globe,  14:   107.  =Ibid.,  14:  115. 


412  PLANS   FOR   A    NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

the  injunctiou  of  the  donor  by  such  au  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowl- 
edge among  men  as  a  complete  national  library,  worthy  of  him  and  of 
this  country,  would  undoubtedly  insure.  The  Librarj-  of  Congress, 
though  no  larger  than  the  private  collections  of  many  private  gentlemen 
in  Europe,  had  been  thirty  j^ears  collecting,  and  now  numbered  only 
40,000  volumes.  The  library  of  the  British  Museum  consists  of  200,000 
volumes;  yet  by  a  recent  report  it  appears  that  ;^ioo,ooo  is  required  to 
render  it  complete.  The  libraries  of  the  Government  alluded  to  by  the 
Senator  from  Ohio  are  indispensable  to  the  Departments,  as  is  that  of 
Congress  to  the  Capitol.  They  can  not,  with  due  regard  to  the  inter- 
ests of  national  legislation,  be  transferred  for  public  use  as  a  national 
library.  By  carrying  out  the  suggestion  of  the  Senator  from  Massa- 
chusetts a  great  national  library,  worthy  of  the  country  and  of  the 
donor  of  this  fund,  may  be  established.' 

Tlie  question  was  then  taken  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  Choate 
and  the  proviso  was  stricken  out. 

Air.  Choate  next  moved  to  strike  out  the  eighth  section 
and  to  substitute  the  following: 

Sec.  8.  And  whereas  an  ample  and  well-selected  library  constitutes 
one  of  the  most  permanent,  constant,  and  effectual  means  of  increasing 
and  diffusing  knowledge  among  men;  therefore, 

Be  it  further  enacted,  That  an  annual  expenditure  be  made  from  the 
interest  of  the  fund  aforesaid,  under  the  direction  of  the  said  managers, 
on  the  purchase  of  books  and  manuscripts  for  the  formation  of  a  library 
of  the  institution  aforesaid,  which,  for  its  extent,  variety,  and  value 
shall  be  worthy  of  the  donor  of  the  said  fund  and  this  nation  and  of 
the  age. 

Mr.  Crittenden  moved  to  add  to  it  a  proviso  that,  in  the  purchase  of 
books  for  the  said  institution,  it  .should  be  regarded  as  a  principal  object 
to  purchase  works  on  science  and  the  arts,  especially  such  as  relate  to 
the  ordinary  business  of  life  and  to  the  various  mechanical  and  other 
improvements  and  discoveries  which  maj^  be  made. 

Mr.  Choate  argued  that  this  limitation  was  not  onlj-  unnecessary,  but 
would  most  certainly  prove  injurious.  It  was  unnecessary,  because  no 
national  library  such  as  he  contemplated  and  such  as  he  hoped  the  Senate 
would  authorize  could  be  made  complete  Vv'itliout  every  one  of  the  works 
on  science  and  the  arts  which  the  Senators  from  Ohio  and  Kentucky 
could  possibly  desire.  The  proviso  would  operate  injuriously  by  raising 
a  constitutional  question  of  disputation  among  the  managers  as  to  the 
quantity  of  money  to  be  applied  to  this  special  description  of  books  and 
to  general  literature.  If  it  w^as  stated  that  out  of  a  given  sum  two-thirds 
should  be  devoted  to  these  books  and  one-third  to  other  books  they  could 

^Congressional  Globe  14:  116. 


DEBATE  ON  CHOATE  AMENDMENTS.         413 

easil}'  agree;  but  indefinitely  directing  a  preference  would  be  to  limit 
exceedingly  in  effect  the  portion  to  be  devoted  to  works  of  general 
literature. 

This  point  was  debated  at  great  length  by  Messrs.  Crittenden,  Choate, 
and  Woodbury;  Mr.  Choate  being  opposed  to  an)-  proviso,  and  Messrs. 
Crittenden  and  Woodbury  in  favor  of  one  sufficiently  explanatory 
to  show  a  preference  for  the  works  indicated,  without  putting  an 
undue  restriction  on  the  purchase  of  all  other  books  suitable  to  a  general 
library. 

Mr.  Rives  said  he  should  feel  very  great  repugnance  to  any  provision 
in  this  bill  which  should  assume  to  recognize  any  important  distinction 
between  the  different  branches  of  human  knowledge.  The  general 
object  of  this  bequest — of  which  we  are  constituted  the  trustees — is 
described  to  be  "the  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge  among  men." 
Now,  if  we  were  to  have  a  library  at  all  to  carry  out  this  great  object,  it 
really  seemed  to  him  that  that  library  ought  to  be  coextensive  with  the 
limits  of  human  knowledge.  Some  of  his  honorable  friends  on  both 
sides  of  the  House  had  dropped  observations  in  the  course  of  this  debate — 
and  he  had  heard  them  with  surprise — which  would  seem  to  imply  that 
moral  science  is  not  knowledge,  and  that  nothing  but  what  are  regarded 
as  the  natural  sciences — astronomy,  mathematics,  and  other  of  that  class — 
is  knowledge.  The  great  field  of  modern  inquiry  relating  to  the  moral 
and  political  sciences  is  not  to  be  considered  at  all  as  a  branch  of  human 
knowledge!     Was  this  so? 

And  was  this  the  country,  or  this  the  age,  in  which  we  were  to  recog- 
nize such  a  doctrine  ?  It  did  seem  to  him  that  the  most  important  of  all 
the  branches  of  human  knowledge  is  that  which  relates  to  the  moral  and 
political  relations  of  man.  It  is  intimately  connected  with  the  rights 
and  duties  and  privileges  of  citizens,  whether  in  public  or  in  private 
life.  How  would  gentlemen  designate  that  great  branch  of  human 
science,  which  is  of  very  modern  origin,  and  even  now  in  its  infancy — 
political  economy  ?  Is  it  not  a  most  important  part  of  human  knowledge  ? 
And  are  the  legislators  of  this  country,  who  are  so  deeply  concerned  in 
the  destinies  and  progressive  civilization  of  the  human  race,  to  "regard 
the  science  of  governiment  and  legislation  as  no  part  of  human  knowl- 
edge? It  really  seemed  to  him  that,  as  representatives  of  the  American 
people,  they  could  recognize  no  such  distinction.  We  have  been  told 
from  high  classical  authority  that  ' '  the  proper  study  of  mankind  is 
man;"  but  here  the  idea  upon  which  the  original  form  of  this  bill 
seemed  to  stand  was  that  the  proper  study  of  mankind  is  that  of  ani- 
mals, exotics,  and  plants  only — not  including  at  all  the  great  moral  and 
civil  relations  of  man.  Now,  he  took  it  upon  himself  to  say  that  if 
gentlemen  would  survey  the  field  of  moral  science  they  would  find  that 
it  embraced  a  much  larger  portion  of  knowledge  than  the  physical 
sciences,  however  important  they  may  be.     *     *     '-^     He  had  no  dispo- 


414  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

sition  to  depreciate  the  value  of  the  physical  sciences,  but  he  insisted 
upon  it  that  the  moral  and  political  sciences  were  equally  important  and, 
if  any  distinction  was  to  be  drawn,  more  important.  At  a  very  early 
period  of  his  life,  he  was  struck  with  a  graphic  remark  made  bj^  the 
great  Commentator  on  English  Islw,  in  illustrating  the  fitness  of  associat- 
ing a  professorship  of  law  with  the  University  of  Oxford — and  his  hon- 
orable friend  from  Kentucky  (Mr.  Crittenden)  no  doubt  well  recollected 
the  passage — that  ' '  the  sciences  are  of  a  sociable  disposition,  and  flour- 
ish best  in  the  neighborhood  of  each  other. ' '  He  would  make  no  dis- 
tinction. He  must  be  permitted  to  say  that  he  thought  the  Senate  had 
already  decided  the  question  in  regard  to  the  extension  of  this  library, 
by  striking  out  the  proviso  of  the  first  section,  and  the  whole  of  the 
eighth  section,  which  provides  for  professors  on  the  subject  of  natural 
sciences  only. 

He  saw  no  reason  for  any  distinction  between  the  moral  and  physical 
sciences.  If  such  a  library  as  was  contemplated  by  the  honorable  Sena- 
tor from  Massachusetts  was  established,  there  would  be  no  danger  of 
the  physical  sciences  being  slighted;  but  he  hoped  that  these  great 
moral  and  political  sciences,  which  so  intimately  concern  the  temporal 
and  eternal  destinies  of  man,  would  have  their  appropriate  space  in  this 
great  receptacle  of  human  knowledge. 

He  had  been  led  to  these  remarks  because  his  firm  and  solemn  con- 
viction was  that  we  now  have  it  in  our  power  to  do  more  good  to  this 
nation  in  our  day  and  generation  by  a  judicious  and  wise  application  of 
this  $500,000  than  by  the  application  of  the  twenty-five  or  thirty  millions 
that  we  are  in  the  habit  of  annually  appropriating. 

He  was  glad  that  it  was  the  sense  of  the  Senate  that  this  subject 
should  go  back  to  the  committee,  to  be  matured  and  deliberately  acted 
upon,  and  that  there  was  to  be  brought  forward  a  plan  of  some  great  and 
noble  foundation,  which  would  realize,  to  the  fullest  extent,  the  mag- 
nificent conception  which  suggested  this  donation.  He  was  opposed  to 
any  limitations;  he  was  opposed  to  any  distinctions  between  the  great 
branches  of  human  knowledge.  In  the  republic  of  letters  all  stood  upon 
a  platform  of  equality;  and  if  we  have  a  library  at  all,  it  should  be  coex- 
tensive with  the  limits  of  human  knowledge,  and  with  the  design  of  the 
donor — ' '  the  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge  (of  all  sound  knowl- 
edge) among  men."  ' 

Mr.  Choate's  amendment  was  accordingly  adopted,  and,  on 
motion  of  Mr.  Woodbiir}^,  the  bill  and  amendments  \vere 
recommitted  to  the  Committee  on  the  Library. 

On  the  2ist  of  January,  1845,  this  committee  reported  a 
new  bill,  which  provided  for  a  building  for  the  reception  of 

'  Congressional  Globe  14:  116. 


DEBATE  ON  CHOATE  AMENDMENTS.         415 

an  extensive  library,  equal  to  the  first  class  libraries  in  the 
world;  and — 

An  annual  expenditure  of  not  less  than  twenty  thousand  dollars  out 
of  the  interest  of  the  fund  is  authorized  to  be  made  in  the  purchase  of 
books  and  manuscripts  for  the  library  of  the  institution,  which  library  is 
to  comprehend  in  due  proportion,  without  preference  or  exclusion  of  any 
branch  of  knowledge,  works  pertaining  to  all  the  departments  of  human 
knowledge,  as  well  as  physical  science,  and  the  application  of  science  to 
the  arts  of  life,  as  all  other  sciences,  philosophy,  histor}%  literature,  and 
art;  and  for  its  extent,  variety,  and  value,  said  library  shall  be  worthy 
of  the  donor  of  the  fund,  and  of  this  nation  and  the  age.  The  managers 
to  employ  a  librarian  and  assistants  and  to  fix  their  salaries;  also  to 
prescribe  the  regulations  under  which  the  library  shall  be  kept,  visited, 
and  used. 

The  discussion  being  continued,  Mr.  Woodbury  proposed  that  the 
board  of  managers  of  the  Smithsonian  fund  consist  of  the  officers  of  the 
National  Institute. 

Mr.  Buchanan  obser\'ed  that  he  had  but  very  few  words  to  say  on  this 
subject.  According  to  the  will  of  the  donor  this  fund  was  to  be  distrib- 
uted for  "the  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge  among  men."  Con- 
sidering our  peculiar  position  in  the  District  of  Columbia,  he  (Mr.  B.) 
had  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  the  best  mode  of  distributing  this  fund 
was  by  the  purchase  of  a  great  library-.  If  (said  Mr.  B.)  you  attempt 
to  establish  a  literary  institution  here,  with  the  great  expense  attendant 
upon  living  in  this  District,  and  from  other  causes  which  I  need  not 
enumerate,  this  fund  in  its  benefits  would  be  confined  to  a  very  small 
portion  of  the  people  of  this  country.  From  the  very  nature  of  our  Gov- 
ernment and  the  condition  of  the  people  of  this  country  we  could  never 
expect  to  erect  in  our  day  a  library  to  compare  with  the  great  European 
libraries  except  by  the  application  of  this  fund  to  that  purpose.  It  was 
impossible,  everybody  knew,  for  any  of  our  citizens  who  proposed  to 
write  a  history,  or  any  other  work  that  required  an  examination  into 
ancient  books  and  authorities,  to  do  so  without  going  to  Europe  for  that 
purpose.  Now,  he  believed  that  an  extensive  library,  in  which  all  the 
means  of  human  knowledge  should  be  collected,  and  in  which  they  should 
be  equally  open  to  all  the  citizens  of  this  country,  was  the  very  best  mode 
in  which  to  apply  the  money  so  liberally  bequeathed  by  Mr.  Smithson 
for  the  "increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge  among  men."  He  was 
clearly  of  that  opinion,  but  he  had  no  idea  of  making  a  speech  upon  the 
subject.  The  question  now  before  the  Senate  resolved  itself  into  a  very 
simple  proposition,  and  that  was,  Shall  Congress  retain  and  direct  the 
immediate  and  efficient  control  of  this  fund  and  of  its  application,  or  .shall 
it  be  administered  through  the  agency  of  the  National  Institution?  That 
was  the  question;  and  on  the  decision  of  the  question  his  own  vote  might 


4l6  PLANS   FOR  A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

depend.  Now,  he  entertained  all  proper  respect  for  the  members  of  this 
Institution,  and  he  believed  it  had  been  already  instrumental  in  diffusing 
knowledge  among  men,  but  he  thought  Congress  was  bound  to  keep  the 
application  of  this  fund  distinct  from  that  or  any  other  literary  incor- 
porated body.  What  was  proposed  by  his  honorable  friend  from  New 
Hampshire  (Mr.  Woodbury)  in  the  amendment  under  consideration? 
Why,  to  connect  the  National  Institute  with  the  Smithsonian  librar}- — 
to  form  a  sort  of  partnership  between  the  two.  The  National  Institute 
is  to  hold  its  meetings  in  a  room  in  the  building  to  be  erected  for  the  use 
of  the  Smithsonian  library.  This  was  in  the  printed  amendment,  and 
would  be  the  inevitable  consequence  of  intrusting  the  management  of 
this  fund  to  that  Institute!  In  a  great  national  institution  like  the  Smith- 
sonian librar}^  calculated  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  people  of  the 
country,  he  desired  to  keep  it  clear,  or  detach  it  and  keep  it  distinct 
from  the  National  Institute,  or  any  other  literary  corporation  whatever. 
Congress  ought  to  take  upon  itself  the  immediate  control  of  this  library. 
It  would  never  succeed  unless  this  course  be  pursued. 

For  one,  he  was  not  acquainted  with  the  rules  of  the  National  Insti- 
tute, and  he  did  not  know  in  what  manner  the  managers  of  that  institu- 
tion were  elected;  but  the  proposed  amendment  placed  the  direction  and 
supervision  of  the  Library  in  the  hands  of  managers  not  elected  by  Con- 
gress, not  responsible  to  Congress,  and  over  whom  the  people  of  this 
country,  by  their  representatives,  could  have  no  control  whatever. 
Congress  was  undoubtedly  capable  of  administering  this  fund  without 
the  aid  of  the  National  Institute;  and  it  was  their  duty  to  do  so. 

Without,  therefore,  troubling  the  Senate  with  any  further  observa- 
tions, he  should  certainly  go  for  separating  the  operation  of  this  Library 
from  those  of  the  National  Institute;  wishing  and  hoping  that  that  Insti- 
tute might  have  all  the  success  which  he  believed  is  so  well  deserved; 
and  if  it  should  be  made  a  rival  in  disseminating  knowledge  among  men 
with  the  Library,  well  and  good.  The  more  knowledge  communicated, 
the  better  for  the  people  of  this  country.  He,  therefore,  should  vote 
against  the  amendment  of  the  honorable  Senator  from  New  Hampshire 
(Mr.  Woodbury)  and,  although  there  were  some  provisions  in  the  bill 
to  which  he  might  object,  he  would  vote  for  it,  nevertheless,  should  it 
remain  substantially  as  it  came  from  the  Committee  on  the  Library. ' 

So  Mr.  Woodbury's  motion  was  lost,  and  on  the  23d  the 
bill  moved  by  Mr.  Choate  and  reported  by  the  Library  Com- 
mittee, devoting  the  larger  part  of  the  income  of  the  Smith- 
sonian fund  to  the  establishment  of  a  general  library,  passed 
the  Senate.  In  the  House,  however,  where  the  majority 
favored  the  devotion  of  a  part  only  of  the  income  to  a  library, 

^Congressional  Globe  14:  163-164. 


A  RIVAL   BILL   IN  THE   HOUSE.  417 

and  that  to  the  establishment  of  a  special  librar}',  the  session 
ended  before  the  matter  came  to  a  vote. 

On  the  2  2d  of  April,  1846,  the  question  of  the  disposition 
of  the  Smithsonian  fund  was  iinall}'-  taken  up  in  the  House. 
On  that  da}'  a  bill  allowing  an  expenditure  of  $10,000  a  year 
for  a  library  was  introduced  by  Robert  Dale  Owen,  of  Indi- 
ana, with  the  following  remarks  upon  the  library  plan  sug- 
gested by  the  Senate  bill  for  the  establishment  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution  and  by  Mr,  Choate's  speech  delivered  on 
the  8th  of  January,  1845: 

The  library  contemplated  by  this  bill,  it  was  expressly  provided,  was  to 
be  "of  the  largest  class  of  libraries  now  in  the  world."  We  shall  better 
understand  both  the  object  and  the  cost  of  this  proposal  bj^  taking  as  a 
commentar}'  thereon  some  of  the  remarks  with  which  it  was  introduced 
by  its  author,  then  a  distinguished  member  of  the  other  branch,  but  no 
longer  there  to  adorn  its  debates  with  the  gay  flowers  of  his  brilliant 
eloquence. 

He  objected  to  limiting  the  cost  of  the  library  building  to  $100,000; 
seeing,  as  he  reminded  the  Senate,  that  the  "largest  class"  of  public 
libraries  contain  from  a  quarter  of  a  million  to  upward  of  half  a  million 
of  volumes.     *     *     ''•' 

He  adds,  a  little  further  on,  that  "such  a  step  taken,  we  should 
never  leave  the  work  unfinished;"  and  that  when  finished  it  would  rival 
an}i;hing  civilization  has  ever  had  to  show.     *     *     * 

Then  the  Senator  branches  off,  in  his  own  brilliant  style,  into  a  dis- 
sertation on  the  value  and  importance  of  such  a  library;  "a  vast  store- 
house," sa3's  he,  "avast  treasury  of  all  the  facts  which  make  up  the 
history  of  man  and  of  nature;  "  *  *  *  "a  silent,  yet  wise  and  elo- 
quent, teacher;  dead,  yet  speaketh — not  dead,  for  Milton  has  told  us, 
'A  good  book  is  not  absolutely  a  dead  thing — the  precious  lifeblood  of 
man,  rather,  of  a  master  spirit;  a  seasoned  life  of  man,  embalmed  and 
treasured  up  on  purpose  to  a  life  beyond  life. ' ' ' 

If  the  question  were  between  a  library  and  no  library — between  books 
and  no  books — the  language  thus  employed,  fervid  as  it  is,  would  be  all 
insufficient  to  shadow  forth  the  towering  magnitude  of  the  subject. 
John  Faust — if,  indeed,  to  the  goldsmith  of  Meutz  the  world  owe  the 
art  of  typesetting — conferred  on  his  race  a  greater  boon  than  ever  before 
did  living  man.  There  is  no  comparison  to  be  made  between  the  effects 
of  the  art  of  printing  and  those  of  any  other  discover}'  put  forth  by 
human  wit.  There  is  nothing  to  which  to  liken  it.  It  was  a  general 
gaol  delivery  of  the  thought  of  the  world.  It  was  a  .sending  forth  of 
those  winged  messengers,  hitherto  bound  down  each  in  his  own  narrow 
sphere,  emancipated,  over  the  earth.  And  that  was  the  great  day,  not 
23399-^4 27 


4l8  PLANS    FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

of  intellect  only,  but  of  freedom  also.  Then  was  struck  the  heaviest 
blow  against  lawgiving  for  the  mind.  The  vStrombolean  Cave  was 
opened;  the  long  pent  winds  of  opinion  set  free;  and  no  edict-framing 
^olus  could  crib  and  confine  them  to  their  prison  house  again. 

Yes!  well  might  Faust  incur  the  charge  of  demonocrac}' !  for,  almost 
to  the  letter,  has  his  wondrous  craft  realized,  in  our  day,  the  fables  of 
Eastern  romance.  Draw  a  chair  before  your  library,  and  3^ou  have 
obtained  the  magical  carpet  of  the  Arabian  tale;  you  are  transported, 
at  a  wish,  farther  than  to  Africa's  deserts  or  India's  groves;  to  other 
times  also.  The  speaking  page  introduces  you,  not  to  your  contempo- 
raries alone,  but  to  your  ancestors,  through  centuries  past.  The  best 
and  wisest  of  former  generations  are  summoned  to  your  presence.  In 
books  exists  the  bygone  world.  By  books  we  come  into  contact  with 
the  mankind  of  former  ages.  By  books  we  travel  among  ancient  nations, 
visit  tribes  long  since  extinct,  and  are  made  familiar  with  manners  that 
have  5'ielded  centuries  ago  to  the  innovating  influence  of  time.  Con- 
tracted, indeed,  is  his  mental  horizon,  limited  his  sphere  of  comparison, 
whose  fancy  has  never  lived  among  the  sages  and  the  heroes  of  the  olden 
time,  to  listen  to  their  teachings,  and  to  learn  from  their  achievements. 

As  far  as  the  farthest,  then,  will  I  go,  in  his  estimate  of  the  blessings 
w'hich  the  art  of  printing  has  conferred  upon  man.  But  such  reasoning 
bears  not  on  the  proposal  embraced  in  the  Senate  bill.  It  substantiates 
not  at  all  the  propriety  of  spending  half  a  million,  or  two,  or  three  half 
millions  of  dollars  to  rival  the  bibliomaniacs  of  Paris  and  of  Munich. 

A  Library  of  Congress  we  already  have,  a  Librar}^  of  forty  or  fifty 
thousand  volumes,  a  Library  increasing  at  the  rate  of  one  or  two  thou- 
sand volumes  a  year.  The  Smithsonian  bill  before  you  permits,  in 
addition,  an  expenditure  not  exceeding  an  average  of  ^10,000  a  year  for 
this  object.  Saj-  that  but  half  that  sum  is  annually  expended  by  the 
managers;  and  still,  in  some  twelve  or  fifteen  3'ears,  the  two  libraries 
will  probably  number  from  eighty  to  a  hundred  thousand  volumes.  Are 
there  100,000  volumes  in  the  world  worth  reading?  I  doubt  it  much. 
Are  there  4,000  volumes  published  yearly  worth  buying?  I  do  not 
believe  there  are.  A  small  garner  suffices  to  store  the  wheat;  it  is  the 
chaff  that  is  bulky  and  fills  up  the  storehouse.  Books  are  like  wealth. 
An  income  we  must  have  to  live;  a  certain  amount  of  income  to  live  in 
comfort.  Beyond  a  certain  income  the  power  of  wealth  to  purchase 
comfort,  or  even  wholesome  luxury,  ceases  altogether.  How  much 
more  of  true  comfort  is  there  in  a  fortune  of  a  million  of  dollars  than 
in  one  of  fifty,  or,  say,  a  hundred  thousand?  If  more  there  be,  the 
excess  is  hardly  appreciable;  the  burden  and  the  cares  of  the  million- 
aire outweigh  it  tenfold.  And  so,  also,  of  these  vast  and  bloated  book 
gatherings  that  sleep  in  dust  and  cobwebs  on  the  library  shelves  of 
European  monarchies.  Up  to  a  judicious  selection  of  thirty,  fifty, 
a  hundred  thousand  volumes,  if  you  will,  how  vast — yea,  how  price- 


A    RIVAL   BILL   IN   THE   HOUSE.  419 

less — is  the  intellectual  wealth.  From  one  to  five  hundred  thousand 
what  do  we  gain?  Nothing?  That  would  not  be  true.  A  goblet 
emptied  into  the  Pacific  adds  to  the  mass  of  its  waters.  But  if  within 
these  limits  we  set  down  one  book  out  of  a  hundred  as  worth  the 
money  it  costs  we  are  assuredly  making  too  liberal  an  estimate. 

I  pray  3'ou,  sir,  not  to  stretch  these  strictures  beyond  their  precise 
application.  I  am  not  one  of  those  who  judge  slightingly  the  learning 
of  the  past.  We  find  shining  forth  from  the  dark  mass  of  ancient  litera- 
ture gems  of  rare  beauty  and  value,  unequaled,  even  to-day,  in  purity 
and  truth.  But  then,  also,  what  clouds  of  idle  verbiage!  What  loads 
of  ostentatious  technicalities!  It  is  but  of  late  years  that  even  the 
disciple  of  science  has  deigned  to  simplify  and  translate;  formerly  his 
great  object  seems  to  have  been  to  obscure  and  mystify.  The  satirist, 
ip  sketching  an  individual  variety,  has  aptly  described  the  species,  when 
he  says: 

"The  wise  men  of  Eg^'pt  were  secret  as  dummies, 
And  even  when  they  most  condescended  to  teach 
They  packed  up  their  meaning,  as  they  did  their  mummies, 
In  so  many  wrappers  'twas  out  of  one's  reach." 

But  there  are  such  noble  enterprises  as  those  of  Gibbon  and  Hallam, 
valuable  to  all;  doubly  valuable  to  the  moralist  and  the  statesman.  And 
in  regard  to  such  it  is  argued  that  if  one  of  our  own  scholars,  fired  with 
generous  ambition  to  rival  the  historians  of  the  Old  World,  enters  on 
such  a  task  he  may  find  that  a  dozen  books,  or  perhaps  a  single  book, 
necessary  for  reference  * '  can  not  be  found  this  side  of  Gottingen  or 
Oxford."  Suppose  he  does,  what  is  the  remedy?  A  very  simple  one 
suggests  itself — that  he  should  order  through  an  importer  of  foreign 
books  the  particular  work  which  he  lacks.  To  save  him  the  trouble  and 
expense  of  so  doing  the  friends  of  the  mammoth  library  scheme  propose 
what?  That  we  should  begin  bj'  expending  half  a  million  of  dollars, 
which  would  ' '  go  far  toward  the  purchase  of  as  good  a  library  as 
Europe  can  boast;  "  that  "such  a  step  taken,  we  should  never  leave  the 
work  unfinished;"  and  that  when  finished  it  would  rival  anything 
civilization  has  ever  had  to  show. 

It  is  prudent,  before  we  enter  on  this  rivalship,  to  count  its  cost. 
Without  seeking  to  reach  the  700,000  volumes  of  the  Parisian  library, 
let  us  suppose  that  we  try  for  the  half  million  of  volumes  that  form  the 
boast  of  Munich,  or  fill  up  the  shelves  of  the  Bodleian.  Our  Librarian 
informs  me  that  the  present  Congressional  Library  (certainly  not  one  of 
the  most  expensive)  has  cost  upward  of  $3  a  volume;  its  binding  alone 
has  averaged  over  a  dollar  a  volume.  The  same  works  could  be  pur- 
chased now,  it  is  true,  much  more  cheaply;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  the 
rare  old  books  and  curious  manuscripts  necessary'  to  complete  a  library 
of  the  largest  class  would  raise  the  average.  Assuming  then,  the  above 
rate,  a  rival  of  the  Munich  library  would  cost  us  a  million  and  a  half  of 


420  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

dollars;  its  binding  alone  would  amount  to  a  sum  equal  to  the  entire 
Smithsonian  fund  as  originally  remitted  to  us  from  England. 

And  thus  not  only  the  entire  legacj^  which  we  have  promised  to 
expend  so  that  it  shall  increase  and  diffuse  knowledge  among  men  is  to 
be  squandered  in  this  idle  and  bootless  rivalr}-,  but  thousands  on  thou- 
sands must  be  added  to  finish  the  work,  from  what  source  to  be  derived, 
let  its  advocates  inform  us.  And  when  we  have  spent  thrice  the 
amount  of  Smithson's  original  bequest  on  the  project,  we  shall  have  the 
satisfaction  of  believing  that  we  may  possibly  have  saved  to  some  worthy 
scholar  a  hundred,  or  perchance  a  few  hundred  dollars,  which  othenA'ise 
he  must  have  spent  to  obtain  from  Europe  half  a  dozen  valuable  works 
of  reference! 

But  there  are  other  reasons  urged  for  this  appropriation  of  the 
Smithsonian  fund. 

"There  is  something  to  point  to,  if  j^ou  should  be  asked  to  account  for 
it  unexpectedly ;  and  something  to  point  to  if  a  traveler  should  taunt 
you  with  the  collections  which  he  has  seen  abroad,  and  which  gild  and 
recommend  the  absolutisms  of  Vienna  or  St.  Petersburg."  (Senator 
Choate's  speech,  as  above.) 

This  purchasing  of  a  reply  to  some  s\\\y  traveler's  idle  taunts,  at  a 
cost  of  a  million  and  a  half  of  dollars,  including  a  fund  sacredly  pledged 
to  human  improvement,  seems  to  me  a  somewhat  costly  and  unscrupu- 
lous mode  of  gratif3'ing  national  vanit)'.  It  is  ineffectual,  too,  unless 
we  are  prepared  to  add  a  few  millions  more  to  huy  up — if  money  could 
buy — the  means  of  reply  to  other  taunts,  quite  as  just  and  quite  as 
likely  to  be  cast  up  to  us.     There  is  the  Vatican,  with  its 

"Statues  but  known  from  shapes  of  the  earth, 
By  being  too  lovely  for  mortal  birth." 

There  is  the  Florence  galler}^  w^ith  its 

"  Paintings,  whose  colors  of  life  were  caught 
From  the  fairy  tints  in  the  rainbow  wrought — " 

images  of  beauty,  living  conceptions  of  grandeur,  refining,  cultivating, 
elevating ;  worth  all  the  musty  manuscripts  of  Oxford,  ten  times  told. 
How  are  we  to  escape  the  imputation  that  our  rude  land  can  show  no 
such  triumphs  of  art  as  these?  Are  we  to  follow  Bonaparte's  plan? 
Are  we  to  carry  war  into  the  land  of  the  olive  and  the  vine,  and  enrich 
this  city,  as  the  French  Emperor  did  his  capital,  with  the  artistical 
spoils  of  the  world?  Unless  we  adopt  some  such  plan,  must  not 
Europe's  taunts  remain  unanswered  still? 

And  let  them  so  remain  !  I  share  not  the  feelings  of  the  learned  and 
eloquent  Senator  to  whose  remarks  I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  reply, 
when  he  says: 

' '  I  confess  to  a  pang  of  envy  and  grief  that  there  should  be  one  drop 
or  one  morsel  more  of  the  bread  or  water  of  intellectual  life  tasted  by 


A  RIVAL   BILL   IN   THE   HOUSE.  42 1 

the  European  thau  by  the  American  mind.  Why  should  not  the  soul  of 
this  countr}'  eat  as  good  food  and  as  much  of  it  as  the  soul  of  Europe? ' ' 

It  grieves  me  not  that  the  fantastic  taste  of  some  epicure  in  learning 
may  chance  to  find,  on  the  bookshelves  of  Paris,  some  literar}'  morsel  of 
choice  and  ancient  flavor,  such  as  our  own  metropolis  supplies  not.  I 
feel  no  envy  if  we  republicans  are  outdone  by  luxurious  Europe  in  some 
high-seasoned  delicacy  of  the  pampered  soul.  Enough  have  we  to  con- 
sole ourselves — objects  of  national  ambition,  how  much  higher,  how 
infinitely  nobler  than  these;  objects  of  national  pride,  before  which  these 
petty  antiquarian  triumphs  dwarf  down  into  utter  insignificancy!  Look 
abroad  over  our  far- spreading  land,  then  glance  across  to  the  monarchies 
of  the  Old  World,  and  say  if  I  speak  not  truth!     *     *     * 

And  shall  we  grudge  to  Europe  her  antiquarian  lore,  her  cumbrous 
folios,  her  illuminated  manuscripts,  the  chaff  of  learned  dullness  that 
encumbers  her  old  library  shelves?  A  "pang  of  envy  and  grief"  shall 
we  feel?  Out  upon  it!  Men  have  we — a  people — a  free  people;  self- 
respecting,  self-governing;  that  which  gold  can  not  buy;  that  which 
kings  can  not  make!  Grief!  Envy!  Theirs  let  it  be  who  look  upon 
this  young  land  in  her  freshness,  in  her  strength!  Eet  them  feel  it  who 
behold,  from  afar,  our  people  bravely  battling  their  onward  way;  tread- 
ing, with  liberty  at  their  side,  the  path  of  progressive  improvement; 
each  step  upward  and  onward — onward  to  the  great  goal  of  public 
virtue  and  social  equality.' 

IMr.  J.  R.  Ingersoll  agreed  with  Mr.  Owen  that  a  great 
library,  such  as  was  provided  for  b}-  the  Senate  bill,  was  not 
desirable;  and  said  that  the  necessary  buildings  to  contain 
the  greatest  library  in  the  world  would,  in  its  own  erection, 
exhaust  the  entire  sum.  This  Capitol  itself  would  not  be 
sufficient  to  contain  800,000  volumes,  which  would  be  the 
largest  library  in  the  world,  so  properly  arranged  as  to  be 
accessible. 

On  the  following  day  George  Perkins  Marsh,  of  Vermont, 
replied  to  Mr.  Owen  and  advocated  the  library  plan  in  the 
following  speech: 

Books  [he  said] ,  Mr.  Smithson  did  not  collect,  as  we  propose  to 
do,  because  to  one  who  had  no  fixed  habitation  a  library  would  have 
been  but  an  incumbrance;  and  he  lived  in  the  great  cities  of  Europe, 
where  public  and  private  munificence  has  collected  and  devoted  to 
general  use  such  ample  repositories  of  the  records  of  knowledge,  that 
individual  accumulation  of  such  stores  is  almost  superfluous.  But 
though  he  gathered  no  library  his  writings  show  him  to  have  been  a 

'  Congressional  Globe  16;  469-470. 


422  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

mail  of  somewhat  multifarious  reading;  and  it  is  quite  a  gratuitous 
assumption  of  those  narrow  minds,  who  think  no  path  worth  travehng 
but  that  which  they  have  trodden,  no  field  worth  cultivating  whose 
fruits  they  have  never  plucked.  Apart,  then,  from  the  liberty  which 
the  broad  words  of  the  will  give  us,  we  are  entitled  to  believe  that  the 
purposes  of  the  testator  were  as  comprehensive  as  the  language  he  used — 
that  he  aimed  at  promoting  all  knowledge  for  the  common  benefit  of 
all  men.'     *     *     >i< 

A  library,  continued  Mr.  Marsh,  is  one  of  the  most  efficient  means  of 
increasing  and  diffusing  knowledge,  and  the  provision  in  the  bill  before 
the  House  for  a  library,  though  too  limited,  constitutes  its  most  valuable 
feature. 

I  had  originall}^  purposed  to  examine  the  subject  from  quite  a  dif- 
ferent point  of  view,  but  the  eloquent  remarks  of  the  chairman  of  the 
special  committee  [Mr.  Owen] ,  which  seem  to  be  intended  as  an  argu- 
ment rather  against  this  provision  than  in  favor  of  the  bill;  and  as  a 
reply  to  the  able  and  brilliant  speech  of  a  distinguished  member  of 
another  branch  of  Congress,  upon  a  former  occasion  [Mr.  Choate] ,  has 
induced  me  to  take  a  somewhat  narrower  range  than  I  should  otherwise 
have  done.  I  wish,  sir,  that  Senator  was  here  to  rejoin,  in  his  own 
proper  person,  to  the  beautiful  speech  of  the  gentleman  from  Indiana, 
who  seems  rather  to  admire  the  rhetoric  than  to  be  convinced  b}'  the 
logic  of  the  eloquent  orator  to  whom  I  refer.  In  that  case,  sir,  I  think 
my  friend  from  Indiana,  trenchant  as  are  his  own  weapons,  would  feel, 
as  many  have  felt  before,  that  the  polished  blade  of  the  gentleman  who 
lately  did  such  honor  to  Massachusetts  in  the  Senate  of  the  United 
States,  is  not  the  less  keen  because,  like  Harmodius  and  Aristogiton, 
he  wraps  it  in  sprays  of  myrtle. 

It  has  been  objected  by  some  that  the  appropriation  is  too  large  for 
the  purpose  expressed — "the  gradual  formation  of  a  library  composed 
of  valuable  works  pertaining  to  all  departments  of  human  knowledge." 
But  if  we  consider  how  much  is  embraced  in  these  comprehensive  words 
we  shall  arrive  at  a  very  different  conclusion.  The  great  libraries  of 
Europe  range  from  200,000  to  half  a  million,  or  perhaps  even  750,000 
volumes.  That  of  the  University  of  Gottingen,  the  most  useful  of  all  for 
the  purposes  of  general  scholarship,  contains  about  300,000.  How  long 
would  it  require  to  collect  a  library  like  this  with  an  annual  expenditure 
of  $10,000?  The  Library  of  Congress  is  said  to  have  cost  about  $3.50 
per  volume;  but,  as  a  whole,  it  has  not  been  economically  purchased, 
and  though  composed  chiefly  of  works  which  do  not  maintain  a  per- 
manently high  price,  yet  as  a  large  proportion  of  the  annual  purchases 
consists  of  7iezo  books  from  the  press  in  London,  the  dearest  book 
market  in  the  world,  its  co.st  has  been  much  higher  than  that  of  a  great 
miscellaneous  library  ought  to  be.     The  best  public  library  in  America, 

^Congressional  Globe y  16:  851. 


GEORGE  PERKINS  MARSH. 


History  of  the  Library  of  Conjfress,  vol.  i,  plate  zf>. 


REPRESENTATIVE   MARSH'S  SPEECH.  423 

for  its  extent  (10,000  volumes),  which  I  am  happy  to  say  is  that  of  the 
University  of  my  native  State,  Vermont,  cost  but  $1.50  per  voknne. 
It  can  hardly  be  expected  that  the  Government,  which  always  pays  the 
highest  price,  will  be  so  favorably  dealt  with;  and  it  is  scarcely  to  be 
hoped  that  it  will  succeed  in  securing  the  services  of  so  faithful  and  so 
competent  an  agent  as  was  employed  by  the  University  of  Vermont, 

I  have  myself  been,  unfortunately  for  my  purse,  a  book  buyer,  and 
have  had  occasion  to  procure  books,  not  only  in  this  country,  but  from 
all  the  principal  book  marts  in  western  Europe.  From  my  own  experi- 
ence, and  some  inquiry,  I  am  satisfied  that  the  whole  cost  of  such  books 
as  a  national  library  ought  to  consist  of,  including  binding  and  all  other 
charges,  except  the  compensation  and  traveling  expenses  of  an  agent, 
should  not  exceed  $2  per  volume.  If  you  allow  $2,000  for  the  compen- 
sation and  expenses  of  an  agent  (which  would  not  be  increased  upon  a 
considerably  larger  expenditure)  you  have  $8,000  remaining,  which,  at 
the  average  cost,  I  have  supposed,  would  purchase  4,000  volumes  a  year. 
How  long,  I  repeat,  would  it  require  at  this  rate  to  accumulate  a  library 
equal  in  extent  to  that  of  Gottingen?  More  than  seventy  years.  In 
some  seventy  years,  then,  in  three  score  years  and  ten,  when  you,  sir, 
and  I,  and  all  who  hear  my  voice,  and  all  the  present  actors  in  this  busy 
world  shall  be  numbered  with  the  dead,  we  ma}'  hope  that  free,  enlight- 
ened America,  by  the  too  sparing  use  of  the  generous  bounty  of  a  stran- 
ger, will  possess  a  collection  of  the  recorded  workings  of  the  human 
mind  not  inferior  to  that  now  enjoyed  by  a  single  school  in  the  minia- 
ture kingdom  of  Hanover.  And  what  provision  is  made  for  the  increase 
of  books  meanwhile?  Look  at  the  activit)'  of  the  presses  of  London  and 
Paris,  at  the  vastly  prolific  literature  of  Germany,  at  the  increasing  pro- 
ductions of  our  own  country,  to  omit  the  smaller  but  still  valuable  con- 
tributions to  the  store  of  human  knowledge  in  the  languages  of  other 
countries,  and  you  will  perceive  that  this  appropriation,  so  far  from 
being  extravagantly  large,  will  scarcely  even  suffice  for  keeping  up  with 
the  current  literature  of  the  day.  Gottingen  will,  meantime,  go  on. 
Her  300,000  volumes  will  increase  in  sevent}^  years  to  half  a  million, 
and  we  will  still  lag  200,000  volumes  behind. 

The  utility  of  great  libraries  has  been  questioned,  and  it  has  been  con- 
fidentl}^  asserted  that  all  trul}^  valuable  knowledge  is  comprised  in  a  com- 
parativel)^  small  number  of  volumes.  It  is  .said  that  the  vast  collections 
of  the  Vatican,  of  Paris,  of  Munich,  and  of  Copenhagen  are  in  a  great 
measure  composed  of  works  originally  worthless  or  now  obsolete,  or 
superseded  by  new  editions,  or  surpassed  by  later  treatises.  That  there 
is  .some  foundation  for  this  opinion  I  .shall  not  deny;  but  after  ever}' 
deduction  is  made  upon  these  accounts,  there  will  .still  remain  in  any  of 
these  libraries  a  great  number  of  works  which,  having  originally  had 
intrinsic  worth,  have  yet  their  permanent  value.  Because  a  newer,  or 
better,  or  truer  book  upon  a  given  subject  now  exists,  it  does  not  neces- 


424  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

sarily  follow  that  the  older  and  inferior  is  to  be  rejected.  It  may  contain 
important  truths  or  interesting  views  that  later,  and,  upon  the  whole, 
better  authors  have  overlooked;  it  ma}-  embody  curious  anecdotes  of  for- 
gotten times;  it  may  be  valuable  as  an  illustration  of  the  history  of 
opinion  or  as  a  model  of  composition;  or,  if  of  great  antiquity,  it  may 
possess  much  interest  as  a  specimen  of  early  typography. 

Again,  because  any  one  individual,  even  the  most  learned,  can  not,  in 
this  short  life,  exhaust  all  art,  because  he  can  not  thoroughly  master  but 
a  few  hundred  volumes,  read,  or  even  have  occasion  to  consult,  but  a  few 
thousands,  we  are  not  therefore  authorized  to  conclude  that  all  beyond 
these  are  superfluous.  Each  of  the  hundred  authors  who  have  pro- 
duced those  thousands  of  volumes  had  read  also  his  thousands.  The 
scholar  is  formed,  not  by  the  books  alone  he  has  read,  but  he  receives, 
at  second  hand,  the  essence  of  multitudes  of  others,  for  every  good  book 
supposes  and  implies  the  previous  existence  of  numerous  other  good 
books. 

An  individual  even  of  moderate  means  and  who  is  content  to  confine 
his  studies  within  somewhat  narrow  bounds  may  select  and  acquire  for 
himself  a  library  adequate  to  his  own  intellectual  w^ants  and  tastes, 
though  entirel}^  unsuited  to  the  purposes  of  one  of  different  or  larger 
aims,  and  by  the  diligent  use  of  this,  he  may  attain  a  high  degree  of 
mental  culture,  but  a  national  library  can  be  accommodated  to  no  narrow 
or  arbitrary  standard.  It  must  embrace  all  science — all  history — all 
languages.  It  must  be  extensive  enough  to  furnish  aliment  enough  for 
the  cravings  of  every  appetite.  We  need  some  great  establishment  that 
shall  not  hoard  its  treasures  with  the  jealous  niggardliness  which  locks 
up  the  libraries  of  Britain,  but  shall  emulate  the  generous  munificence 
which  throws  open  to  the  world  the  boundless  stores  of  literary  wealth 
of  Germany  and  France — some  exhaustless  fountain  where  the  poorest 
and  humblest  aspirant  may  slake  his  thirst  for  knowledge  without  money 
and  without  price. 

Of  all  places  in  our  territory  this  central  heart  of  the  nation  is  the 
fittest  for  such  an  establishment.  It  is  situated  in  the  middle  zone  of 
our  system — easily  and  cheaply  accessible  from  every  quarter  of  the 
Union — ^blessed  with  a  mild,  a  salubrious,  and  an  equable  climate — 
abundant  in  the  necessaries  and  comforts  of  physical  life — far  removed 
from  the  din  of  commerce  and  free  from  sectional  influences. 

Let  us  here  erect  such  a  temple  to  the  muses,  served  and  guarded  by 
no  exclusive  priesthood,  but  with  its  hundred  gates  thrown  open,  that 
every  votary  may  enter  unquestioned,  and  you  will  find  it  thronged  with 
ardent  worshipers,  who,  though  poverty  may  compel  them  to  subsist, 
like  Heyne,  on  the  pods  of  pulse  and  the  parings  of  roots,  shall  yet 
forget  the  hunger  of  the  body  in  the  more  craving  wants  of  the  soul. 

From  the  limited  powers  of  our  National  Goverment,  and  the  jealous 
care  with  which  their  exercise  is  watched  and  resisted,  in  cases  where 


REPRESENTATIVE  MARSH'S   SPEECH.  425 

the  interests  of  mere  humauity — uot  party — are  concerned  it  can  do 
little  for  the  general  promotion  of  literature  and  science.  The  present 
is  a  rare  opportunity,  the  only  one  yet  offered,  and  never,  perhaps,  to  be 
repeated,  for  taking  our  proper  place  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  not 
merely  as  a  political  society,  but  as  patrons  of  knowledge  and  the  liberal 
arts.  The  treasures  of  our  national  wealth  are,  perhaps,  not  at  our  com- 
mand for  this  purpose,  and  it  is  only  by  the  discreet  use  of  this  bequest, 
and  of  the  funds  which  private  liberality  will  assuredly  contribute  to 
extend  the  means  of  the  institution,  that  we  can  hope  to  kindle  a  lumi- 
nary whose  light  shall  encompass  the  earth  and  repay  to  Europe  the 
illumination  we  have  borrowed  from  her. 

The  librar}^  of  Gottingen,  of  which  I  have  spoken,  contains  six  times 
as  many  volumes  as  the  largest  American  collections;  it  has  been  accu- 
mulated within  a  comparativelj'  short  period — scarcely  a  centurj^ — and, 
having  been  selected  upon  a  fixed  plan  by  the  ablest  scholars  in  the 
world,  it  contains  few  books  originally  without  merit,  few  duplicates, 
and  few  which  the  progress  of  science  and  literature  have  rendered 
worthless.  And  ^-et,  though  upon  the  whole  the  best  existing  library', 
it,  in  many  departments,  does  not  approach  to  completeness,  and  the 
scholars  who  resort  to  it  are  often  obliged  to  seek  elsewhere  sources  of 
knowledge  which  Gottingen  does  not  afford.' 

Here  the  speaker  entered  upon  a  comparison  of  the 
resources  of  the  Library  of  Congress  with  those  of  the  great 
libraries  of  Europe  which  we  have  quoted  above.  He  then 
continued: 

Let  it  not  be  said  that  our  own  brief  history-  proves  that  great  libraries 
are  superfluous,  because  without  them  we  have  produced  statesmen, 
civilians,  orators,  and  jurisprudents  no  wise  inferior  to  the  ablest  of 
their  European  contemporaries.  Without  dwelling  upon  the  stimulus 
of  popular  institutions  and  the  stirring  excitement  of  our  revolutionary 
and  later  history,  which  have  tended  to  encourage  the  development  of 
this  species  of  talent,  the  objection  is  sufficiently  answered  by  saying 
that  in  the  case  of  the  American  statesmen  of  the  Revolution  as  well  as 
of  many  of  later  date,  private  wealth  has  supplied  the  place  of  public 
provisions  for  the  attainment  of  knowledge.  In  the  period  of  our 
colonial  history  the  sons  of  wealthy  families  were  often  educated  in  the 
best  schools  of  Europe,  and  the  framers  of  our  Constitution  were  chiefly 
men  of  high  education  and  elegant  attainments.  Jefferson,  whose  writ- 
ings are  canonical  with  the  Democracy,  had  the  best  pri\-ate  librar}'  in 
America,  and  was  a  man  of  multifarious  if  not  of  profound  learning.  The 
State  papers  of  that  remarkable  era  are,  with  a  few  exceptions,  obviously 
productions  of  men  uot  merely  of  inspired  genius  or  of  patient  thought, 

^Congressional  Globe  16:  851-852. 


426         PLANS  FOR  A  NATIONAL  LIBRARY. 

but  of  laborious  acquisition,  aud  they  are  full  not  of  that  cheap  learn- 
ing which  is  proved  by  pedantic  quotation,  but  of  that  sound  discipline 
which  is  the  unequivocal  result  of  extensive  reading  and  diligent 
research.  Who  have  been  the  men  in  all  ages  that  have  exercised  the 
wisest  and  most  permanent  influence  both  on  the  moral  and  physical 
well-being  of  man?  The  spirit  of  the  crusades  was  roused  bj'  the  preach- 
ing of  a  thoughtful  solitary;  Columbus  was  a  learned  scholar  and 
Luther  but  a  studious  monk.  Watt,  the  great  improver  of  the  steam 
engine,  was  a  man  of  curious  and  recondite  learning.  Bonaparte  was 
carefully  educated  at  the  school  of  Brienne  and  was  through  life  a 
liberal  patron  of  learning  and  the  arts.  The  glorious  rebellion  of  1649 
was  the  work  of  men  of  the  closet,  and  Milton,  who  to  our  shame  is  less 
known  among  us  by  his  prose  than  by  his  poetrj-,  was  its  apostle.  Our 
own  independence  was  declared  and  maintained  by  scholars,  and  all 
men  know  that  the  French  Revolution  had  its  germ  in  the  writings  of 
the  encyclopaedists.  All  men,  in  fact,  who  have  acted  upon  opinion, 
who  have  contributed  to  establish  principles  that  have  left  their  impress 
for  ages,  have  spent  some  part  of  their  lives  in  scholastic  retirement. 
It  is  this  very  point — the  maintenance  of  principles  discovered  and 
defended  by  men  prepared  for  that  service  by  severe  discipline  and 
laborious  study — that  so  strikingly  distinguishes  the  English  rebellion 
of  1649  and  our  own  Revolution  from  most  other  insurrectionary  move- 
ments, and  particularly  from  the  French  Revolution.  The  English  and 
American  statesmen  of  those  two  periods  were  contending  for  truths^ 
the  French  atheists  and  philosophers  for  i7itercsts;  the  former  sought  to 
learn  their  duties,  the  latter  concerned  themselves  only  about  their 
rights;  the  Anglo-Saxon  was  inspired  by  principle,  the  Gaul  was  insti- 
gated by  passion. 

The  principles  of  American  libert)*,  which  education  and  habit  have 
rendered  so  familiar  to  us  that  we  fanc}-  them  intuitive  or  even  instinc- 
tive, are  in  truth  no  more  obvious  than  the  physical  theory  of  the  uni- 
verse, and  the  study  of  the  philosophical  and  political  history  of  the 
last  three  centuries  will  convince  every  inquirer  that  their  develop- 
ment from  their  germs,  as  involved  in  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the 
Reformation,  has  been  the  work  not  of  unconscious  time  only,  but 
has  required  the  labor  of  successive  generations  of  philosophers  and 
statesmen. 

I  look  upon  a  great  and  well-selected  library,  composed  of  the  monu- 
ments of  all  knowledge,  in  all  tongues,  as  the  most  effective  means  of 
releasing  us  from  the  slavish  deference  which,  in  spite  of  our  loud  and 
vaporing  protestations  of  independence,  we  habitually  pay  to,  English  prec- 
edents and  authorities  in  all  matters  of  opinion.  Our  history  and  our 
political  experience  are  so  brief  that  in  the  multitude  of  new  cases  which 
are  perpetually  arising  we  are  often  at  a  loss  for  domestic  parallels  and 
find  it  cheaper  to  cite  an  English  dictum  than  to  investigate  a  question 


REPRESENTATIVE  MARSH'S  SPEECH.  42? 

upon  more  independent  grounds.  Not  only  are  our  parliamentary  law, 
our  legislative  action,  our  judicial  proceedings  to  a  great  extent  fash- 
ioned after  those  of  the  mother  country,  but  the  fundamental  principles 
of  our  Government,  our  theory  of  the  political  rights  of  man,  are  often 
distorted  in  order  that  they  may  be  accommodated  to  rules  and  defini- 
tions drawn  from  English  constitutional  law.  Even  the  most  sacred  of 
political  rights,  the  right  of  petition,  I  have  heard  both  attacked  and 
defended  upon  this  floor  by  very  sufficient  Democrats  entirely  upon 
precedents  drawn  from  the  practice  of  the  British  Parliament.  Our 
community  of  origin,  language,  and  law  exposes  the  younger  nation  to 
the  constant  danger  of  being  overshadowed  by  the  authority  of  the  elder. 
It  is  a  great  e\-il  to  a  young  and  growing  people,  as  well  as  to  a  youth- 
ful and  aspiring  spirit,  to  have  its  energies  cramped  and  its  originality 
smothered  by  a  sen-ile  spirit  of  conformity  to  any  one  model,  however 
excellent,  and  it  is  quite  time  for  us  to  learn  that  there  are  other  sources 
of  instruction  than  the  counsels  and  examples  of  our  ancient  mother. 

Sir,  I  make  these  remarks  in  no  narrow  feeling  of  jealous  hostility  to 
England;  still  less  at  this  crisis,  when  some  are  seeking  to  raise  a  whirl- 
wind of   popular  indignation  against  that  country,  upon  which  they 
themselves  may  float  to  power,  would  I  join  in  any  vulgar  denunciations 
of  a  people  from  whom  we  have  borrowed  so  much.    We  owe  to  England 
much  of  our  political  principles,  many  of  the  foundations  of  our  ci\nl 
and  religious  liberties,  many  of  the  most  valuable  features  of  our  juris- 
prudence.    Something,  indeed,  we  have  repaid.     England,  in  common 
with  all  Europe,  has  profited  by  our  experience.     The  grasp  of  feudal 
oppression  has  been  relaxed,  the  atrocious  severity  of  the  criminal  law 
has  been  mitigated,  judicial  proceedings  have  been  simpHfied,  the  sub- 
ject has  been  admitted  to  a  larger  participation  in  the  concerns  of  gov- 
ernment, monoplies  are  becoming  obsolete,  and  the  responsibilities  of 
rulers  are  felt  to  be  more  stringent.     To  the  credit  of  many  of  these 
ameliorations  we  may  fairly  lay  claim;  while  in  science  and  its  apphca- 
tion  to  the  arts  we  have  sustained  no  disgraceful  rivalry  with  our  trans- 
atlantic brethern.     But  no  generous  man  thinks  his  debt  of  gratitude 
canceled  till  it  is  thrice  repaid,  and  we  have  therefore  yet  much  to  do 
before  we  can  say  that  America  is  no  longer  the  debtor  of  England. 
Let  us  then  seize  this  one  opportunity  which  a  son  of   her  own  has 
offered  us,  and  build  with  it  a  pharos,  whose  light  shall  serx-e  as  well 
to  guide  the  mariner  in  the  distant  horizon,  as  to  illuminate  him  who 
casts  anchor  at  its  foot.     >i=     =i=     =^ 

Mr.  Chairman,  at  present  I  neither  propose  nor  expect  any  modifica- 
tion of  this  bill.  I  am  content  with  it  as  an  experiment,  though  I  should 
prefer  the  appropriation  of  the  entire  income  of  the  fund  for  one  genera- 
tion—three times  only  as  long  as  it  has  now  lain  idle— to  the  puqwse  of 
founding  such  a  library  as  the  world  has  not  yet  seen.  If  I  support  the 
bill,  I  shall  support  it,  I  repeat,  as  an  experiment,  but  in  the  confident 


428  PLANS   FOR  A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

hope  that  the  plan  will  soou  be  so  changed  as  to  make  the  Smithsonian 
Institution  a  fitter  representative  of  a  charity  which  embraces  all  knowl- 
edge as  its  object  and  appoints  the  whole  human  race  its  beneficiaries,' 

lu  reply  Mr.  Owen  said: 

This  bill  had  been  framed  in  a  spirit  of  compromise.  The  original 
Senate  bill  of  the  last  session  appropriated  $5,000  for  this  object.  The 
gentleman  from  Vermont,  Mr.  O.  believed,  proposed  twenty  thousand. 
The  bill  proposed  a  medium — a  sum  not  exceeding  $10,000,  He  hoped 
the  House  would  not  go  further,  A  gentleman  who  had  formerly 
been  Librarian  of  Congress,  in  conversation  with  him,  had  said  that  he 
thought  it  was  impracticable  to  purchase  with  advantage  more  than 
$10,000  worth  of  books.  The  duty  must  be  intrusted  to  one  agent  to 
prevent  the  purchase  of  duplicates,  and  no  one  agent  could  purchase 
advautageousl}'  more  than  this  amount,  so  that  there  was  a  practical 
difiicult}^  in  the  way." 

On  the  28tli  of  April,  the  discussion  of  the  Smithsonian  bill 
being  resumed,  Mr.  Thurman  said: 

He  was  rather  inclined  to  believe  that  the  best  disposition  of  the  fund 
that  could  be  made  would  be  to  invest  the  interest  arising  from  it  in  a 
library.  There  were  great  objections  to  this  plan,  to  be  sure.  They 
had  been  forcibly  stated  by  the  chairman  of  the  select  committee  (Mr. 
Owen).  But  there  was  one  great  recommendation  it  possessed  that 
strongly  influenced  Mr.  T,  That  was  that  though  it  might  not  effect 
the  greatest  amount  of  benefit  that  could  be  produced  by  the  fund,  it 
was  not  liable  to  the  abuses  to  which  the  other  plans  would  probably 
give  rise.  It  would  create  no  large  bod}^  of  ofi&ceholders,  no  patronage, 
no  favoritism,  no  partial,  sectional  advantages. 

So,  with  an  amendment  moved  by  Mr.  Marsh  (April  29) 
increasing  the  annual  appropriation  for  the  Library  to 
$25,000,  the  bill  passed  the  House  April  29,  the  Senate, 
August  7,  and  was  approved  August  10,  1846,  section  8  pro- 
viding for  an  appropriation  not  exceeding  an  average  of 
$25,000  annually  for  the  gradual  formation  of  a  library  com- 
posed of  valuable  works  pertaining  to  all  departments  of 
human  knowledge. 

The  question  of  a  national  library  thus  passed  from  Con- 
gress to  the  Board  of  Regents  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  September  8,  1846, 

'  Congressional  Globe',  16:  853-S54. 
"^  Congressiojial  Globe  15:  719. 


RESOLUTIONS   OF   BOARD   OF   REGENTS.  429 

accordingl}',    the   following    preamble    aud    resolution   were 
offered  and  agreed  to: 

Whereas  the  act  to  establish  the  Smithsonian  Institution  prescribes  an 
appropriation,  not  exceeding  an  average  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars 
annually,  for  the  gradual  formation  of  a  library  composed  of  valuable 
books  pertaining  to  all  departments  of  human  knowledge:  Therefore, 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  three  be  appointed  to  prepare  a  report 
upon  the  subject  of  the  formation  of  such  a  library,  indicating  its  gen- 
eral character  and  the  modes  of  proceeding  to  accumulate  it,  and  to  pre- 
sent such  report  at  the  next  regular  meeting  of  the  board.' 

Whereupon  the  chancellor  appointed  Mr.  Choate,  Mr.  Hawley,  and 
Mr.  Rush  said  committee. 

On  the  3d  of  December  this  committee  made  report,  and  on 
the  4th  the  Board  of  Regents — 

Resolved,  That  for  the  present,  out  of  the  interest  accruing  to  the 
Institution,  the  sum  of  twenty  thousand  dollars  be,  and  the  same  is 
hereby,  appropriated  for  the  purchase  of  books  and  the  gradual  fitting 
up  of  a  library,  and  all  other  incidental  expenses  relating  to  the  library, 
except  the  salaries  of  the  librarian  or  librarians,  the  said  appropriation 
to  commence  from  the  first  of  January,  eighteen  hundred  and  forty-eight. 

Resolved,  That  the  portion  of  the  building  to  be  for  the  present  set 
apart  for  a  library  be  of  sufficient  capacity  to  contain  not  less  than  one 
hundred  thousand  volumes;  and  that  it  is  desirable  that  the  plan  should 
be  such  as  to  render  an  extension  practicable  if  hereafter  desired. 

Resolved,  That  it  be  recommended  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Smithson- 
ian Institution  forthwith  to  employ,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Board 
of  Regents,  an  assistant  secretary-,  well  qualified  to  discharge  the  duties 
of  librarian. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed,  in  conjunction  with  the 
Secretar}',  to  prepare  and  submit  to  this  board  extended  lists  of  books, 
in  the  different  departments  of  learning,  proper  to  be  first  purchased, 
according  to  the  general  principles  of  this  report;  and,  for  this  purpose, 
that  they  be  authorized  to  request  the  aid  of  the  librarian,  and  of  other 
persons  competent  to  afford  it,  and  to  engage  to  such  persons  the  honor 
of  the  board  for  discretionary  remuneration  of  such  aid.- 

Mr.  Choate,  Mr.  Milliard,  and  Mr.  Rush  were  appointed  the  said 
committee. 

On  the  25th  of  January,  1847,  ^^^  complete  plan  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution  was  presented  b}^  the  committee  on 

'Smithsonian  Institution  report,  March  3,   1847,  p.  4.     Twenty-ninth  Congress, 
second  session,  Senate  document  No.  211. 
'Smithsonian  Institution  report,  March  3,  1S47,  pp.  12,  13. 


430  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

organization,    Messrs.  Owen,  Hilliard,  and   Bache.     It   pro- 
vided for  the  library  as  follows: 

In  proposing  that,  in  the  building  about  to  be  erected,  there  should  be 
provided  librar}^  room  sufficient  to  receive  a  hundred  thousand  volumes, 
your  committee  yielded  rather  to  what  seemed  a  fair  concession  to  the 
spirit  of  the  eighth  section  of  our  charter,  than  to  their  own  deliberate 
conviction  that  a  library  of  more  than  half  that  size  could  not,  with 
the  present  means  of  our  Institution,  advantageously  be  purchased. 

But,  without  a  vast  accumulation  of  books  in  this  metropolis,  your 
committee  conceive  that  a  librarian  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  ma)% 
under  proper  system,  become  a  center  of  literary  and  bibliographical 
reference  for  our  entire  country.  Your  committee  recommend  that  the 
librarian  be  instructed  to  procure  catalogues,  written  or  printed,  of  all 
important  public  libraries  in  the  United  States;  and  also  in  proportion 
as  they  can  be  obtained,  printed  catalogues  of  the  principal  libraries  in 
Europe,  and  the  more  important  works  on  bibliography.  With  these 
beside  him,  he  may  be  consulted  by  the  scholar,  the  author,  the  historian, 
from  every  section  of  the  Union,  and  will  be  prepared  to  inform  them 
whether  anj^  works  they  may  desire  to  examine  are  to  be  found  in  the 
United  States;  and  if  so,  in  what  library;  or  if  in  Europe  only,  in  what 
countr}'  of  Europe  they  must  be  sought. 

Informed  by  these  catalogues  it  will  be  easy  and  your  committee  think 
desirable  for  those  who  may  be  charged  with  the  selection  of  books  to 
make  the  Smithsonian  library  chiefly  a  supplementary  one;  to  purchase 
for  the  most  part  valuable  works  which  are  not  to  be  found  elsewhere 
in  the  Union,  thus  carrying  out  the  principle  to  which  j^our  committee 
has  already  alluded  as  influencing  all  their  recommendations — that  it  is 
expedient,  as  far  as  may  be,  to  occupj^  untenanted  ground. 

Exceptions  to  this  rule  must  here  of  course  be  made,  as  in  the  case  of 
standard  works  of  reference  required  for  the  immediate  use  of  the  Insti- 
tution, and  also  of  the  very  numerous  works,  many  of  current  .science, 
which,  by  a  proper  system  of  exchange,  we  may  procure  without  pur- 
chasing. In  this  latter  connexion  the  transactions  and  reports  of  the 
Institution  will  obtain  for  us  valuable  returns. 

In  following  out  this  mode  of  collecting  a  library  for  the  Institution, 
whenever  a  particular  class  of  works  of  importance  is  found  to  be 
especially  deficient  in  the  libraries  of  our  country,  the  vacancy  may  be 
filled.  The  librarian  might  also  procure,  by  entering  into  correspond- 
ence with  the  librarians  of  other  countries,  any  special  extracts  or 
items  of  information  required  by  students. 

Your  committee  consider  it  inexpedient  to  commence  the  regular  pur- 
chase of  books  until  about  a  year  before  the  time  when  the  building  is 
prepared  to  receive  them.  Meanwhile  lists  and  catalogues  should  be 
procured.' 

'  Smithsonian  Institution  report,  March  3,  1847,  pp.  24-25. 


PLANS   OF   LIBRARIAN  JEWETT.  43 1 

On  January  26,  1847,  Professor  Jewett  was  appointed 
librarian,  and  on  the  21st  of  December,  1847,  Secretary  Henry 
presented  the  following  letter  from  Professor  Jewett  contain- 
ing suggestions  as  to  the  formation  of  the  library: 

My  Dear  Sir:  As  I  do  not  expect  to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you 
again  before  the  meeting  of  the  Regents,  I  will,  with  your  indulgence, 
refer  to  some  of  the  principal  matters  which  will  require  attention  in 
commencing  the  library.  They  would  no  doubt  all  occur  to  you  in  their 
order,  but  I  thought  you  might  find  it  convenient  to  have  this  part  of 
the  business  in  some  degree  prepared  to  your  hands.  A  great  deal  of 
preparatory  work  is  to  be  gone  through  with  before  any  books  can  be 
placed  on  the  shelves. 

1.  On  the  plan  proposed  for  the  library,  it  seems  to  me  that  the  first 
thing  to  be  done  is  to  make  arrangements  for  obtaining  catalogues, 
printed  or  in  manuscript,  of  the  principal  Hbraries  of  the  United  States; 
to  examine  these  libraries,  as  far  as  can  be  done  personally,  in  order  to 
know  their  general  character,  the  statistics  of  their  increase,  etc. ;  and  to 
form  such  alliances  with  the  librarians  as  will  be  indispensable  in  mak- 
ing the  library  of  the  institution,  in  conformity  with  the  suggestion  of 
Doctor  Bache,  a  supplementary  one,  and  a  center  of  bibliographical  ref- 
erence. Some  of  the  libraries  possess  printed  catalogues  complete  nearly 
down  to  the  present  time;  others  are  several  years  behind  hand.  It  will 
be  necessary  to  procure  manuscript  catalogues  in  continuation  of  those 
which  have  been  printed,  and  to  make  arrangements  for  receiving,  from 
month  to  month,  or  from  year  to  year,  lists  of  all  future  accessions. 
These  supplementary  catalogues  should  all  be  prepared  on  a  uniform 
plan.  The  titles  should  be  written  on  cards  of  the  same  size,  so  that  they 
may  be  placed  together  in  one  alphabetical  arrangement  in  order  to 
facilitate  research.  A  mark  placed  on  the  back  of  each  card  will  desig- 
nate the  library  from  which  it  came.  Now,  in  every  library  with  which 
we  are  in  correspondence  some  one  must  be  employed  to  do  this.  It 
would  be  merely  clerk's  labor,  where  the  catalogues  are  properly  kept, 
and  no  doubt  the  librarian  or  assistant  might  in  every  case  be  induced  to 
undertake  it  for  a  small  compensation. 

2.  The  next  thing  to  be  done  will  be  to  make  arrangements  for  pro- 
curing the  books  to  which  we  are  entitled  by  the  tenth  section  of  the 
charter  of  the  institution.  Unless  something  be  done,  this  provision  in 
course  of  time  will  bring  in  comparatively  few  books  in  a  year.  I  have 
no  doubt  that  publishers  generally  would  readily  send  their  books  if  the 
subject  were  properly  presented  to  them  and  arrangements  made  by 
which  they  could  transmit  them  to  Washington  without  subjecting  the 
institution  or  themselves  to  expenses  altogether  disproportioned  to  the 
value  of  the  books.  It  has  occured  to  me  that  perhaps  the  several  dis- 
trict clerks  might  be  induced  to  attend  to  the  business;  it  is  perhaps 


432  PLANS   FOR  A   NATIONAL  LIBRARY, 

legally  their  duty  to  do  so,  but  I  suppose  it  would  be  unsafe  to  rely  upon 
their  performing  such  an  unexpected  dut}^  unless  they  received  for  it 
some  additional  compensation.  Besides  this,  a  circular  might  be  printed 
and  sent  to  publishers,  setting  forth  the  advantages  which  result  directly 
to  the  cause  of  letters  and  indirectly  to  themselves  from  compliance 
with  this  requirement.  By  these  means  I  think  we  should  obtain  nearly 
all  the  publications  of  importance  issued  from  the  American  press. 

3.  The  selection  of  books  for  the  first  purchase  must  be  made.  This 
will,  I  suppose,  comprise  three  classes  of  works:  i.  Those  which  may 
be  immediately  needed  in  the  scientific  department;  2.  Bibliographical 
works  and  descriptions,  histories,  and  catalogues  of  similar  institutions, 
and  3.  The  general  collection,  consisting  of  the  memoirs,  transactions, 
and  journals  of  the  learned  societies  of  Europe  and  America.  These 
three  classes  of  books  will  form  a  library  quite  unique  and  one  of  great 
utilit5^  The  catalogue,  if  it  be  made  with  fullness  and  accuracy,  will  be 
a  valuable  publication.  I  think,  further,  that  a  somewhat  extended  list 
of  books  should  be  made  out  for  future  purchases.  These  lists  should  be 
entrusted  to  honest  and  faithful  men  in  some  of  the  principal  book  marts 
in  Europe,  with  orders  to  buy  the  books  whenever  they  can  find  them, 
at  say  one-half  the  ordinary  prices.  In  this  way  we  should  obtain  at 
very  low  prices  great  numbers  of  the  books  which  we  shall  want.  Of 
course  the  same  list  should  not  be  left  with  different  men.  The  work 
should  be  done  with  care  and  by  consultation  with  the  best  scholars  in 
the  country.  It  will  be  difiicult  to  find  the  necessary  bibliographical 
helps.  The  best  collection  of  them  in  the  country  is  in  the  library  of 
Brown  University,  but  this  is  very  imperfect. 

4.  The  first  purchases  are  to  be  made  and  the  arrangements  for  future 
purchases.  These,  of  course,  should  not  be  commenced  until  the  lists 
are  as  far  completed  as  they  can  judiciously  be  in  this  country.     *    *    * 

I  have  thus  stated  quite  in  detail  the  work  which  must  be  done  before 
the  library  can  be  ready  for  use,  or  rather  before  any  part  of  it  can  be 
placed  upon  the  shelves.  Before  it  can  be  ready  for  use  much  more  is 
to  be  done  in  arranging  and  cataloguing.  To  lay  properly  the  founda- 
tion of  a  large  library  is  a  slow  work,  and  much  time  must  necessaril}' 
be  consumed  in  producing  but  small  visible  results. 

I  am,  my  dear  sir,  very  truly,  your  friend  and  servant, 

C.  C.  JEWETT. 
Professor  Henry,  L,L.  D., 

Secretary  Smithsoniaji  Institution.^ 

The  resolutions  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  the  report  of  the 
committee  on  organization,  and  the  plan  proposed  by  Libra- 
rian Jewett,  were  in  practical  agreement,  and  were  summed 

'Smithsonian  Institution  report,  Thirtieth  Congress,  first  session.  Senate  miscella- 
neous document  No.  23,  pp.  191-193. 


PROGRAMME   FOR   YEARS    1S47   TO    1851.  433 

up  in  the  following  programme  for  the  Smithsonian  library, 
presented  by  the  secretary  of  the  Institution  to  the  Board  of 
Regents,  December  8,  1847: 

A  librar}'  will  be  required,  consisting,  first,  of  a  complete  collection  of 
the  transactions  and  proceedings  of  all  the  learned  societies  in  the  world; 
second,  of  the  more  important  current  periodical  publications  and  other 
works  necessary  in  preparing  the  periodical  reports.  *  *  >!<  With 
reference  to  the  collection  of  books  other  than  those  mentioned  above, 
catalogues  of  all  the  different  libraries  in  the  United  vStates  should  be 
procured  in  order  that  the  valuable  books  first  purchased  may  be  such  as 
are  not  to  be  found  in  the  United  States.  Also  catalogues  of  memoirs  and 
of  books  in  foreign  libraries  and  other  materials  should  be  collected  for 
rendering  the  Institution  a  center  of  bibliographical  knowledge,  whence 
the  student  may  be  directed  to  anj'  work  which  he  may  require.     *     *     * 

The  duty  of  the  assistant  secretary,  acting  as  librarian,  will  be  for 
the  present  to  assist  in  taking  charge  of  the  collections;  to  select  and 
purchase  under  the  direction  of  the  Secretary  and  a  committee  of  the 
board  books  and  catalogues,  and  to  procure  the  information  before  men- 
tioned; to  give  information  on  plans  of  libraries  and  to  assist  the  vSecre- 
tary  in  editing  the  publications  of  the  Institution,  and  in  the  other  duties 
of  his  ofiice.' 

On  the  nth  of  December  the  executive  committee  made 
report  embodying  a  proposed  scale  of  expenditures  for  four 
years  from  the  19th  of  March,  1847,  being  the  remainder  of 
the  term  of  the  contract  for  the  erection  of  the  Institution 
building: 

If  [said  they]  any  considerable  amount  of  books,  beyond  tho.se 
required  for  present  reference,  be  purchased  at  this  time,  they  will  lie  in 
boxes  with  nmch  risk  of  injury  and  no  possibility  of  being  accessible  to 
the  public;  nor,  the  committee  think,  will  it  be  prudent  or  desirable 
whilst  the  main  building  is  in  progress,  and  while  temporary  arrange- 
ments must  be  made  in  one  of  the  wings  for  the  reception  of  such  works 
as  by  purchase,  by  exchange,  and  from  other  sources,  shall  have  accumu- 
lated in  the  library,  to  open  that  pro\dsional  library  to  the  public. 
Few  would  be  likely  to  resort  to  it  as  a  place  of  study  amid  the  noise 
and  confusion  incident  to  the  erection  of  an  exten.sivc  building. 

Again,  though  no  large  sums  be  spent  directly  for  books  for  the 
present,  every  appropriation  made  for  the  publication  of  transactions 
or  other  works  to  be  distributed  to  learned  and  .scientific  .societies 
throughout  the  world  is  a  virtual  contribution  to  the  library.     It  can 

'  vSmithsoniau  Institution  report,  January  6,  1848,  pp.  176-177;  Thirtieth  Congress, 
first  session,  Senate  miscellaneous  documents.  No.  23. 

23399—04 28 


434  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

not  be  doubted  that  the  exchanges  to  which,  b}'  such  extended  distribu- 
tion, the  institution  will  be  entitled,  will  in  many  cases  overpay,  in  the 
shape  of  additions  to  the  librar}-,  the  cost  of  the  works  distributed. 

And,  finally,  it  should  be  remarked  that  under  the  scale  of  expendi- 
tures herein  proposed  the  sum  of  $140,000  will  be  added  to  the  original 
capital  of  the  Institution,  making  an  addition  to  its  income  of  $8,400 
annuall}'  forever;  one-half  of  which,  b}^  the  resolutions  hereinafter 
recited,  commonly  called  the  compromise  resolutions,  will  inure  to  the 
benefit  of  the  library.  It  was  doubted  at  the  time  of  the  passage  of 
these  resolutions  whether,  under  their  operation,  and  supposing  the 
entire  income  of  the  institution  to  be  the  interest  from  its  original  capi- 
tal, the  permanent  annual  appropriation  for  the  purchase  of  books  could 
exceed  from  $4,000  to  $5,000. 

By  the  operation  of  the  present  plan  it  maj^,  therefore,  be  considered 
as  doubled,  or  nearly  so.  The  additional  $4,200  added  by  that  plan 
annually  forever  to  the  librarj^  appropriation  is  far  more  than  an  equiva- 
lent for  the  delay  it  presupposes  in  the  accumulation  of  works  not  wanted 
for  immediate  reference  or  present  purposes,  a  delay  extending  only  to 
the  period  when  suitable  permanent  arrangements  can  be  made  for  their 
reception."  ' 

111  accordance  witli  tliese  views  the  committee  appended  the 
following  resolution: 

Resolved,  That  for  the  present  the  resolution  of  the  Board  passed  on 
the  fourth  of  December  last  and  authorizing  an  appropriation  of  twenty 
thousand  dollars  for  the  purchase  of  books,  and  which  said  appropriation 
is  to  commence  from  the  ist  of  January  next,  shall  be  strictly  construed 
to  authorize  onl}^  the  purchase  of  such  \-aluable  works  of  reference  as 
the  Secretary  or  the  building  or  executive  committee  maj^  consider 
useful  for  present  purposes  or  otherwise  likelj'  to  be  immediately 
demanded  in  the  prosecutions  of  the  plan  of  the  Institution:  Provided, 
however,  That  nothing  in  this  nor  in  the  preceding  series  of  resolutions 
contained  shall  be  construed  to  rescind  or  in  any  way  impair  the  force 
of  certain  resolutions  passed  by  the  Board  on  the  twenty-sixth  and 
twent)^-eighth  of  January  last."     *     *     * 

And  on  the  27th  of  December,  1847,  -^^^-  Choate,  from  the 
committee  appointed  on  the  23d,  relative  to  the  duty  of  the 
assistant  secretary,  made  the  following  report,  with  accom- 
panying resolutions: 

The  committee  appointed  at  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Regents  on 
the  23d  in.stant,   to  inquire  and  report  in  what  manner  the  assistant 

'Smithsonian  Institution  report,  Thirtieth  Congress,  first  ses,sion,  .Senate  miscel- 
laneous documents,  No.  23,  p.  16S. 
''Ibid.,  No,  23,  p.  170. 


FIRST   DUTIES   OF  THE   LIBRARIAN,  435 

secretary,  as  librarian,  maj-  be  employed  (if  at  all)  with  advantage  to 
the  Smithsonian  Institution,  between  the  present  time  and  the  19th  of 
March,  1849,  respectfully  present  for  the  consideration  of  the  Board  the 
following  resolutions,  embracing  the  matter  of  their  inquiries,  together 
with  a  report  from  the  assistant  secretary. 
Respectfully  submitted  by 

R.  Choate, 
A.  D.  Bache, 
R.  McClelland, 

Committee. 

The  resolutions  accompanying  the  report  of  the  committee 
were  as  follows: 

Resolved,  That  the  assistant  secretary,  acting  as  librarian,  may  be 
employed  with  advantage  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution  during  a  por- 
tion of  the  time  between  this  date  and  the  19th  of  March,  1849,  in 
the  following  duties,  to  wit: 

1 .  The  preparation  of  catalogues  of  books  suitable  for  the  commence- 
ment of  the  library,  in  accordance  with  the  plan  of  organization  heretofore 
adopted  by  the  Board  of  Regents. 

2.  The  purchase  of  the  more  necessarj^  books  on  bibliograph}-. 

3.  The  collection  and  systematic  arrangement,  for  purposes  of  com- 
parison, of  the  printed  catalogues  of  the  principal  libraries  throughout 
the  United  States,  together  with  information  in  regard  to  the  expendi- 
tures, plans  of  increase,  and  other  particulars  relating  to  the  said 
libraries. 

4.  The  collection  of  works  to  which  the  Institution  may  be  entitled 
under  the  tenth  section  of  the  act  organizing  the  Institution. 

Resolved,  That  the  assistant  secretary',  acting  as  librarian,  be 
employed  for  the  purposes  specified  in  the  foregoing  resolution  inider 
the  direction  of  a  committee  of  three  members  of  the  board,  to  be 
appointed  b}-  the  Chancellor,  and  to  act  in  conjunction  with  the  Secre- 
tary, at  a  compensation  fixed  by  the  executive  committee,  but  not  to 
exceed  one  thousand  dollars,  for  any  services  he  may  render  between 
this  date  and  the  time  fixed  for  the  commencement  of  his  regular  duties 
as  assistant  .secretary. 

The  said  resolutions  coming  up  for  consideration,  they  were  adopted. 

Whereupon  the  Chancellor  appointed  Mr.  Choate,  Mr.  Marsh,  and 
Mr.  Bache  the  said  committee.' 

'Smithsonian  Institution  report,  Tbirtietli  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  niiscel- 
laneous  documents,  No.  23,  pp.  161-162. 


436  PLANS   FOR   A    NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

P:ARLY     UNDERTAKINGS     OF    THE     SMITHSONIAN     LIBRARY — 

COLLECTIONS. 

The  two  proposals  regarding  the  Smithsonian  library  were 
thus,  first,  that  it  should  be  made  a  national  reference 
library;  and,  second,  that  it  should  be  made  a  national  bibli- 
ographical bureau. 

The  objections  to  the  first  proposal  were  that  it  would 
require  the  expenditure  of  the  larger  part  of  the  income  of 
the  Smithson  fund;  that  if  $25,000  were  devoted  each  3'ear  to 
the  purchase  of  books,  no  man  or  set  of  men  could  be  found 
sufficiently  skilled  in  bibliography  to  expend  this  sum  judi- 
ciously; that  even  should  this  sum  be  laid  out  wisely  in  the 
purchase  of  books  and  manuscripts  of  a  valuable  character, 
such  a  collection  would  be  of  no  use  in  Washington;  scarcel}- 
half  a  dozen  readers  would  be  found  in  the  city  with  leisure 
enough  to  visit  the  library,  and  the  few  literary  and  scientific 
men  who  might  come  from  a  distance  to  consult  the  library 
would  have  difficulty  in  finding  it  and  getting  to  it.'  "The 
building  is  removed  from  all  habitable  parts  of  the  city,"  said 
the  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Couj'-ier  and  Enquirer^ 
"and  can  be  reached  only  after  one-half  mile  of  muddy  walk- 
ing from  Pennsylvania  avenue,  so  that  the  probability  is 
that  the  Institution  will  have  few  visitors  except  those  who 
go  from  mere  curiosity  and  are  able  to  pay  two  dollars 
hack  hire."^ 

These  objections  did  not,  however,  apply  to  the  collection 
of  such  books  as  were  necessary  to  the  operation  of  the 
Institution,  authoritative  scientific  treatises,  especially  biblio- 
graphical works,  publications  secured  by  exchange  with 
institutions  of  similar  character,  and  publications  to  which 
the  Institution  was  entitled  under  the  copyright  section  of 
the  organic  act. 

With  reference  to  the  collection  of  books  on  bibliography, 
a  class  of  books  which  was  necessary  to  make  the  Institution 
a  center  of  bibliographical  knowledge.  Librarian  Jewett  said 
in  his  first  report,  December  13,  1848: 

I  have  the  honor  to  present  herewith  a  Hst  of  about  3,000  bibho- 
graphical  works.     The  work  of  Namnr,  published   in   1S37,  purporting 

^Eiieiiing'  Neivs,  Novt^iiljtir  21,  1846.         " lAlcrary  World  i:  8S,  February  27,  1847. 


THE   BIBLIOGRAPHICAL   COLLECTION.  437 

to  be  a  complete  catalogue  of  bibliographical  works,  contains  10,236 
titles.  A  complete  bibliographical  library  would  contain  nearly  20,000 
volumes.  The  3,000  volumes  of  the  list  now  presented  are  not,  there- 
fore, to  be  considered  as  constituting  a  complete  catalogue  of  l)ooks  in 
this  department,  but  merely  as  a  selection  of  those  most  immediately 
important. 

Every  list  of  this  kind  should  include  not  only  works  professedl)'  bib- 
liographical, but  also  histories  of  literature,  of  science,  and  of  art,  as  well 
as  many  biographical  and  critical  works. 

It  is  impossible  to  estimate  too  highly  the  value  of  such  a  collection. 
In  a  large  library  these  works  are  the  guides  to  research,  showing  what 
to  read,  study,  or  consult.  In  the  absence  of  such  a  library  they  supply 
to  some  extent  the  deficiency  b}'  describing  books  in  such  a  way  as  often- 
times to  enable  us  to  dispense  with  the  books  themselves. 

And  yet  the  importance  of  bibliographical  studies  is  in  this  country 
but  too  little  appreciated.  In  truth,  the  neglect  of  them  is  the  most 
fruitful  source  of  superficial,  conceited,  and  rash  authorship.  On  the 
continent  of  Europe,  however,  they  are  held  in  the  highest  esteem. 
This  is  doubtless  one  principal  cause  of  the  acknowledged  superiority  of 
the  Germans  in  all  matters  requiring  wide  research. 

Ever}'  student  worthy  of  the  name  when  about  to  investigate  a  subject 
wishes  to  know  first  what  has  been  done  by  others  in  the  same  field. 

Now,  on  almost  ever}-  important  branch  of  learning  some  diligent 
scholar  has  collected  from  the  whole  domain  of  literature  the  books  per- 
taining thereto,  arranged  them  for  convenience  of  reference,  anah'zed 
their  contents,  and  described  their  absolute  and  relative  merit,  with  their 
external  peculiarities  and  history.  He  has  thus  given  a  bibliography  of 
that  branch  of  knowledge.  Such  a  work  should  manifestly  be  the  first 
to  be  taken  up  and  among  the  last  to  be  laid  down  by  anyone  who  would 
intelligently  study  that  subject.  A  collection  of  such  works,  pertaining 
to  all  departments  of  knowledge,  ought  to  be  the  first  purchase  for  every 
general  library. 

Yet  there  is  no  respectable  collection  of  them  in  any  of  our  public 
libraries.  The  best  is,  I  believe,  that  of  Brown  University,  which  con- 
tains but  a  few  hundred  volumes.  Without  question,  therefore,  by  pro- 
curing the  books  neces.sary  for  carrying  out  the  plan  of  making  the 
library  a  center  of  bibliographical  reference  we  shall  furnish  one  cla.ss  of 
books  most  immediately  important  to  American  scholars,  as  well  as  one 
most  needed  in  making  judicious  selections  for  the  future  and  in  aiding 
other  libraries  in  the  country  in  their  choice  of  books. 

The  selection  here  offered  is  intended  to  cover  nearly  the  whole  ground 
of  bibliography,  and  is  arranged  under  the  following  divisions: 

1 .  BibliotJicccs  bibliographicce ,  or  catalogue  of  bil)liographical  works. 

2.  Elementary  bibliography  ^  including  treatises  of  the  origin  and  prog- 
ress of  writing;  of  ancient  manuscripts,  their  materials,  form,  ornaments, 


438  PLANS   FOR  A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

preservation,  and  the  method  of  deciphering  them;  of  printing,  its  his- 
tory, and  practice;  of  the  arts  of  engraving,  binding,  paper  making,  etc. ; 
of  the  forms  of  books;  of  the  rights  of  authors,  publishers,  and  readers; 
of  the  book  trade;  of  the  use  and  abuse  of  books;  of  libraries,  their 
histor}',  statistics,  selection,  arrangement.  preser\'ation,  and  use. 

3.  Practical  bibliography. — Works  designed  to  be  used  in  the  selection 
and  purchase  of  books.     These  ma}^  be — 

(i)  Universal,  comprising  books  in  all  languages,  on  all  subjects, 
and  of  all  periods. 

(2)  Limited — 

a.  To  particular  countries  or  languages. 

b.  To  particular  periods  of  time. 

c.  To  particular  branches  of  knowledge. 

d.  To  works  classed  according  to  some  accidental  peculiarit}',  as 

rare,  anonymous,  pseudonymous,  polyonomous  works,  books 
privatel)'  printed,  books  prohibited,  books  condemned  to  be 
burned,  etc. 

e.  To  particular  kinds  of  composition,  as  poetry,  proverbs,  etc. 
Under  most  of  these  heads  are  comprised  works  of  several  kinds,  viz: 

I.  The  histor}'  of  the  subject.  2.  The  bibliography,  properly  so  called, 
i.  e. ,  the  catalogue  raisonne  of  all  books  relating  to  it.  3.  The  biography 
of  its  cultivators.  4.  The  journals  which  contain  the  record  of  its  prog- 
ress. Thus,  in  the  department  of  natural  history  would  be  included 
Cuvier's  History  of  the  natural  sciences,  Engelmann's  Bibliography  of 
natural  history,  Callisen's  Biographical  dictionary  of  naturalists,  and 
the  Annals  of  the  natural  sciences;  and  inasmuch  as  neither  of  these 
is  perfect  of  its  kind  there  must  be  manj'  others  of  each  description. 

The  result  of  these  recommendations  of  Professor  Je\vett 
was  that  by  1856  the  Smithsonian  librar}^  possessed  the 
most  complete  collection  of  library  catalogues  in  the  country, 
and  one  of  the  best  and  most  complete  collections  of  biblio- 
graphical works. 

With  reference  to  the  publications  of  learned  societies  the 
librarian  reported  at  the  same  time,  as  follows: 

I  have  made  and  herewith  present  a  list,  which  I  believe  to  be  nearly 
complete,  of  all  the  publications  of  learned  societies  in  actual  operation 
throughout  the  world.  Doubtless  these  publications  possess  various 
grades  of  merit.  But  it  is  difficult,  and  I  think  undesirable,  to  reject 
any  of  them.  Papers  of  the  greatest  importance  are  sometimes  pub- 
lished in  the  most  provincial  academies. 

The  department  of  public  instruction  of  the  French  Government 
published  in  the  year  1847  the  first  volume  of  a  work  intended  to  be 
continued  annually,   entitled   "  Annuaire  des   Societes   savantes   de   la 


COLLECTION   OF  SOCIETY   PUBLICATIONS.  439 

France  et  de  I'Etranger."  The  volume  for  the  first  year,  an  octavo  of 
more  than  i,ooo  pages,  contains  historical  sketches  of  all  the  learned 
societies  in  France,  the  regulations  of  the  institutions,  an  account  of 
their  various  publications,  and  other  works,  and  the  names  of  their 
members.  A  similar  account  of  the  academies  of  other  countries  was 
promised  for  the  second  j-ear,  but  I  can  not  learn  that  it  has  yet  appeared. 
The  labor  upon  it  was  probably  interrupted  by  the  revolution  of  Feb- 
ruary, and  has  not  yet  been  resumed. 

The  lists  which  I  now  present  are  made  from  the  Reverend  Doctor 
Hume's  lycarued  societies  and  printing  clubs  of  the  United  Kingdom 
for  Great  Britain,  the  Annuaire  for  France,  and  from  various  other 
sources,  principally  from  the  first  volume  of  the  catalogue  of  printed 
books  in  the  British  Museum  for  other  countries. 

This  report  \vas  the  basis  of  the  Smithsonian  exchange 
system.  By  the  year  1853  the  Smithsonian  collection  of  the 
later  publications  of  the  learned  societies  of  the  world  was 
reckoned  the  most  extensive  in  the  country. 

Many  of  the  earlier  publications,  however,  w^ere  wanting. 
In  his  report,  dated  December  31,  1853,  Librarian  Jew^ett 
called  attention  to  this.  "Very  few  of  our  sets,"  said  he, 
"are  complete.  Inquiries  are  daily  made  for  back  numbers 
which  are  w-anting.  As  it  is  probable  that  w^e  have  received 
all,  or  nearl}^  all,  of  the  earlier  publications  of  societies  which 
they  [the  societies]  are  able  to  supply,  it  seems  advisable  to 
furnish  our  agents  in  Burope  with  lists  of  the  volumes  which 
we  possess,  and  authorize  them  to  purchase,  as  opportunities 
may  occur,  the  volumes  that  are  wanting."  So  in  the  follow- 
ing year  an  assistant  was  employed  to  make  a  catalogue  of 
all  the  books  received  by  exchange,  and  in  1855  and  1856 
a  list  of  "Publications  of  learned  societies  and  periodicals  in 
the  library  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution"  w^as  published.' 
Such  was  the  beginning  of  the  Smithsonian  collection  of 
society  publications. 

With  reference  to  the  copj^right  literature  to  which  the 
institution  was  entitled  under  the  tenth  section  of  the  act  of 
August  10,  1846,  Librarian  Jewett  made  the  following  recom- 
mendation: "That  it  be  always  kept  in  the  library,  apart 
from  the  other  collections,  and  arranged  in  chronological 
order;  that  publishers  be  allowed  by  the  postal  authorities  to 

'December  31,  1S54,  40  pp.,  4°;  pt.  2,  May,  1856,  38  pp.,  4°. 


440  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

forward  their  works  without  expense,  and  that  notice  of  all 
works  copyrighted  be  published  by  the  Institution  in  a 
monthl}'  bibliographical  bulletin.'" 

And  Norton'' s  Literaiy  Gazette  (July  15,  1852)  said:  "We 
are  surprised  at  the  apathy  shown  by  some  of  our  leading 
publishers  in  complying  with  the  law  in  relation  to  copy- 
rights, which  directs  that  a  copy  of  every  book  copyrighted 
shall  be  placed  in  the  Library  of  Congress,  and  also  in  that 
of  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  If  publishers  would  look 
merely  to  their  own  advantage,  they  would  see  that  there 
could  be  no  better  advertisement  to  their  publications  than  a 
position  where  they  can  be  seen  and  judged  upon  by  the 
first  men  in  the  nation.  Books  intended  for  these  libraries, 
if  sent  to  the  ofnce  of  this  paper,  properly  directed,  will  be 
always  promptly  forwarded."  Publishers  did  not,  however, 
see  the  value  of  the  copyright  deposit,  hence  the  following 
important  reports  upon  the  copyright  office,  the  first  in  the 
sixth  annual  report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  August 
20,  1852,  as  follows: 

The  copyright  laws  of  most  nations  require  the  deliver}"  to  the  govern- 
ment, or  to  libraries  designated  by  it,  of  a  copj',  or  of  several  copies,  of 
every  work  for  which  copyright  is  claimed.  As  far  as  I  have  been  able 
to  ascertain,  in  Saxonj'  and  in  Portugal  only  one  cop}'-  is  demanded;  in 
France,  Austria,  Russia,  Bavaria,  Denmark,  and  Prussia  two  copies  are 
required;  in  the  Italian  States  generalh^  Holland,  Belgium,  and  the 
United  States  three  copies;  in  England  five  copies;  in  Sweden  four  or 
five  copies.  The  number  in  several  of  these  countries  has  varied  at  dif- 
ferent periods. 

This  requirement  had  its  origin  in  France  as  far  back  as  1537.  Its 
object  is  twofold: 

First,  the  deposit  is  considered  necessary  to  the  complete  protection  of 
the  author.  If  his  copyright  be  infringed,  it  ma}^  be  important  for  him 
to  be  able  to  produce  a  certified  copy  of  his  work  in  order  that  it  may 
be  compared  with  the  alleged  counterfeit.  In  no  other  wa)^  can  he  be 
sure  of  finding  such  a  copy  than  by  making  the  deposit  a  condition  of 
the  copyright  laws.  It  is  like  the  model  of  a  machine  deposited  in  the 
Patent  Office.     Judge  McLean,  in  delivering  the  opinion  of  the  Supreme 

'Fourth  annual  report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  July  29,  1850,  p.  35;  thirty- 
first  Congress,  first  session.  Senate  miscellaneous  document  No.  120.  In  the  Fifth 
annual  report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  March  i,  1851,  pp.  146-320,  the 
librarian  published  a  list  of  copyright  publications  deposited  in  the  Smithsonian 
library  between  August  10,  1846,  and  December  31,  1849. 


THE   COPYRIGHT  COLLECTION.  44 1 

Court  of  the  United  States  in  the  case  of  Wheaton  versus  Peters,  says: 
' '  The  deposit  of  the  book  in  the  Department  of  State  may  be  important 
to  identify  it  at  any  future  period,  should  the  copyright  be  disputed,  or 
an  unfounded  claim  of  authorship  asserted. ' ' 

The  second  reason  for  the  requirement  is  the  public  benefit.  The  right 
of  the  Government  to  demand  copies  of  the  work  for  this  purpose  is  a 
necessary  consequence  of  the  establislied  theory  of  the  copyright  law. 

The  English  and  American  courts  agree  in  resting  the  right  of  an 
author  to  the  exclusive  privilege  of  printing  and  selling  his  book  upon 
the  statute  and  upon  the  common  law.  ' '  Congress,"  says  Judge  McLean, 
in  delivering  the  opinion  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  the  case  of  Wheaton 
versus  Peters,  "instead  of  sanctioning  an  existing  right,  created  it." 
He  says,  further,  with  respect  to  the  right  of  the  Government  to  demand 
copies:  "No  one  can  deny  that  when  the  legislature  are  about  to  vest  an 
exclusive  right  in  the  author  or  inventor,  the}'  have  the  power  to  pre- 
scribe the  condition  on  which  such  right  should  be  enjoyed." 

It  is  manifest,  however,  that  inasmuch  as  the  law  is  intended  to 
encourage  the  production  of  books,  no  conditions  should  be  annexed  to 
it  which  would  be  onerous  to  publishers,  for  such  conditions  would  tend 
to  defeat  the  very  end  proposed  to  be  answered  by  the  statute.  Too 
many  copies  should  not,  therefore,  be  required.  In  England  at  one  time 
eleven  copies  were  demanded.  It  was  made  to  appear  that  the  law,  with 
such  conditions,  operated  as  a  discouragement  to  the  publication  of 
expensive  works;  it  was  in  consequence  changed.  Five  copies  are  now 
required,  and  a  sum  of  mone}'  amounting  to  ^2,800  a  year  paid  by  the 
Government  to  the  other  six  libraries  in  compensation  for  the  loss  of  the 
privilege  which  the}'  previously  enjoyed. 

The  benefit  of  the  deposit  to  the  public  is  very  great.  It  is  univer- 
sally allowed  to  be  important  for  the  interests  of  learning  that  in  everj' 
country  there  should  at  least  be  one  library  where  ever}'  book,  pamphlet, 
or  literar}^  production  of  an}'  kind  issued  in  the  country  should  be  care- 
fully preser^'ed.  Now  it  is  utterly  impossible  to  collect  the  whole  in 
any  other  way  than  by  making  the  deposit  a  condition  to  the  vesting  of 
the  right  of  copy. 

The  advantage  of  the  deposit  to  learning  seems  to  have  been  the  sole 
motive  for  its  first  introduction,  and  not,  as  is  sometimes  .supposed,  the 
censorship.  Francis  the  First,  of  F'rance,  in  1537,  gives  as  the  ground 
for  requiring  a  copy  for  the  royal  library  at  Blois  that  these  books  ' '  will 
be  veritable  proofs  of  that  praiseworthy  restoration  of  letters  occurring 
in  our  time  through  our  diligence,  care,  and  labor,  *  *  *  and  that 
recourse  may  be  had  to  them  if  perchance  the  books  should  perish  from 
the  memory  of  man  or  be  varied  from  the  true  and  original  publication." 
(See  Renouard,  Traite  des  droits  d'auteurs,  t.  i,  p.  42.)  No  mention 
is  made  of  their  use  for  the  purposes  of  the  censorship,  which,  indeed, 
must  be  exercised  before  the  printing  of  the  book  and  not  afterwards. 


442  PLANS   FOR  A   NATIONAL  LIBRARY. 

In  another  ordinance  of  the  same  year,  explanatory  to  the  one  above 
cited,  the  King  expressly  declares  that  it  was  not  intended  to  affect 
the  censorship  in  any  way;  and  again,  in  an  ordinance  of  1538,  appoint- 
ing Nicobar  Greek  printer,  it  is  ordered  that  "a  copy  of  every  book 
printed  shall  be  deposited  in  the  royal  library,  to  the  end  that  should 
any  calamities  befall  literature,  posterity  might  there  find  a  resource 
for  repairing  in  part  the  loss  of  books."  (Renouard  ut  sup.)  The 
legal  deposit,  it  is  manifest,  had  its  origin  in  an  enlightened  regard  for 
learning  and  not  in  any  odious  restrictions  upon  the  liberty  of  the  press. 

It  follows,  then,  from  the  facts  and  considerations  which  have  been 
presented,  that  one  copy  of  every  book  should  be  demanded  of  its  author, 
to  be  preserved  in  some  public  national  library,  both  for  his  own  sake 
and  for  that  of  the  public.  The  legislature  have  the  undoubted  right  to 
demand  several  copies  as  a  condition  to  the  granting  of  an  exclusive 
right  to  the  publication  and  sale  of  the  book,  provided  that  they  do  not 
demand  so  many  as  to  impose  a  burden  on  the  publisher,  and  thus  dis- 
courage instead  of  encourage  the  publication  of  books.  The  interest  of 
the  author  and  of  the  public  (which  rightly  understood  can  never  be  at 
variance)  may  alike  require  that  more  than  one  copy  should  be  thus 
deposited;  for  if  but  one  be  deposited,  and  that  be  destroyed  by  fire  or 
other  casualty,  the  benefit  of  the  deposit  would  be  lost. 

It  ought  to  be  remarked  further  that  the  exacting  of  copies  by  the 
Government  implies  an  obligation  to  preserve  them  carefully,  and  to  make 
them  subservient  to  the  purposes,  both  public  and  private,  for  which  the 
deposit  is  made. 

In  this  respect  our  own  copyright  law  is  defective.  It  requires  the 
book  to  be  deposited,  within  three  months  after  its  publication,  in  the 
office  of  the  clerk  of  the  district  in  which  the  author  resides.  It  also 
directs  the  clerk  to  transmit  the  copy  to  the  State  Department  at  Wash- 
ington, It  makes,  however,  no  provision  for  the  transmission  and  it 
establishes  no  supervision.  The  consequence  is  that  not  more  than  one- 
half  of  the  books  for  which  copyrights  are  secured  in  the  country  ever 
reach  the  State  Department,  and  no  record  is  transmitted  when  the  books 
are  not  sent. 

These  books  which  are  received  are  now  kept  in  a  room  by  themselves. 
They  are,  however,  lent  out  to  persons  connected  with  the  Department; 
the}^  are  not  properly  recorded;  no  stamp  is  placed  upon  them  for  their 
identification;  no  catalogue  is  kept  of  them;  they  are  not  accessible  for 
general  use.     Thus  the  benefit  to  the  public  is  almost  entirely  lost. 

The  Supreme  Court  has  decided  that  the  deposit  of  the  copy  in  the 
State  Dejiartment  is  essential  to  a  valid  title;  but  in  case  of  the  loss  of 
the  certificate  the  author  has  no  certain  means  of  establishing  his  claims. 
The  benefit  to  the  author  is  therefore  lost  (as  in  the  case  of  Wheaton) 
or  liable  to  be  lost,  though  he  may  have  fulfilled  all  the  conditions  of 
the  law. 


THE   COPYRIGHT   COLLECTION.  443 

The  requirement  of  a  copy  of  every  book  and  other  article  for  which  a 
copyright  is  secured  for  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  and  also  for  the 
Librars'  of  Congress,  is  made  in  the  tenth  section  of  the  act  of  Congress 
establishing  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  No  penalty  is  attached  to  a 
neglect  of  the  requirement.  It  has  therefore  been  generally  held  to  be 
merely  directory.  In  the  case  of  Jollie  v.  Jacques  (southern  district,  New 
York),  it  was  held  that  the  deliver^'  of  copies  to  the  two  libraries  was 
not  a  prerequisite  to  a  title  to  copyright.  By  many  also  it  is  doubted 
whether,  inasmuch  as  this  enactment  does  not  purport  to  be  an  amend- 
ment to  the  copyright  law,  a  demand  for  the  copy,  in  case  it  were  refused, 
would  be  enforced  by  the  courts. 

Many  publishers  are  not  aware  of  the  law;  others  regard  it  as  unjust 
and  refuse  to  comply  with  it  on  that  account;  others  again  find  a  com- 
pliance inconvenient,  and,  not  considering  it  essential,  neglect  it.  The 
consequence  is  that  not  half  the  books  to  which  we  are  entitled  are 
received  b}-  us.  Music  being  issued  by  fewer  publishers,  and  being  more 
easily  sent,  has  generally  been  deposited,  as  also  have  labels  of  patent 
medicines.  The  labor  of  issuing  certificates  for  these  and  recording 
them  is  as  great  as  for  the  books,  whilst  they  have  scarcely  any  appre- 
ciable and  permanent  value. 

The  books  are  frequently  sent  by  mail,  sometimes  sealed,  thus  sub- 
jecting the  Institution  to  letter  postage  upon  them.  The  postmaster 
is  directed  to  open  such  packages;  but  not  unfrequently  sealed  letters 
are  found  within  them,  and  thus  the  whole  package  is  chargeable  with 
letter  rates.  This  indeed  is  the  case  not  only  with  respect  to  books 
received  under  the  copyright  law,  but  also  with  respect  to  those  received 
by  donation.  We  have  taken  even,'  means  to  make  known  the  fact 
that  we  do  not  possess  the  franking  privilege.  We  have  invariablj^ 
written  to  the  publishers  or  donors  of  works  who  have  made  to  us  these 
expensive  presents,  and  have  several  times  received  for  reply  that  they 
were  misinformed  by  the  local  postmaster,  who  had  stated  to  them  that 
the  Smithsonian  Institution  was  entitled  to  receive  letters  and  packages 
without  the  payment  of  postage.  It  .seems  to  be  inferred,  from  the 
connection  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  with  the  Government,  that 
it  of  necessit}^  possesses  the  franking  privilege.  We  are  thus  subjected 
to  great  expense  which  it  is  impossible  for  us  to  avoid  or  materially  to 
diniini.sh. 

The  whole  value  of  the  books  received  during  the  j-ear  185 1  b)^  the 
copyright  clause  of  our  charter  has  been  estimated  at  four  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars,  which  is  perhaps  a  low  estimate,  taking  no  account  of 
maps,  music,  and  other  articles.  The  expenditure  for  postage  and 
transportation  of  these,  together  with  the  time  and  labor  spent  in 
is.suing  certificates,  may  be  estimated  at  two  hundred  and  twenty-five 
dollars.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  privilege  is,  in  its  present  con- 
dition, far  from  being  so  important  as  it  was  intended  and  supposed  to  be. 


444  PLANS   FOR   A    NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

The  same  remarks  apply  probably  with  equal  force  to  the  subject  as 
it  concerns  the  lyibrarj^  of  Congress.  It  would  seem,  therefore,  from 
this  statement,  that  the  law  is  not  satisfactory  to  any  of  the  parties 
affected  by  it.  A  thorough  change  of  system,  so  far  as  the  deposit  of 
copies  is  concerned,  seems  to  be  required  in  order  to  give  the  securit}^ 
promised  to  authors,  to  relieve  publishers  from  the  trouble,  expense, 
and  uncertaint}^  attending  their  efforts  to  comply  with  the  conditions  of 
the  present  law,  and  to  provide  for  the  public  benefit  and  the  transmis- 
sion to  posterity'  of  materials  for  the  history  of  our  own  times. 

The  interests  of  all  parties  ma}'  be  secured  by  a  much  simpler  method 
than  the  present.  After  much  consultation  with  those  more  particularly 
concerned,  I  have  been  led  to  believe  that  the  following  plan  would 
prove  generally  acceptable: 

1 .  To  require  a  claim  of  copyright  under  the  name  of  the  proprietor  (to 
which  should  be  subjoined  his  residence),  with  the  date  of  the  commence- 
ment of  such  claim,  to  be  printed  upon  the  title-page  or  the  reverse  of 
the  title  of  every  copy  of  his  work,  as  follows: 

"  Copyright  in  this  work  is  claimed  from  and  after  the  6th  of  August, 
1852,  by  me,  as  author  [or  proprietor]. 

A B , 

Of  Boston ,  Ma  ssa  ch  u setts . ' ' 

2.  To  require  the  deposit  of  one  or  more  copies  of  the  book  within 
one  month  after  the  date  of  the  claim,  if  the  book  be  published  in  any 
of  the  States  east  of  the  Mississippi  River,  and  within  three  months 
if  published  west  of  the  same.  The  books  to  be  transmitted  by  mail 
or  otherwise,  at  the  risk  and  cost  of  the  claimant  of  the  cop5^right. 

The  person  depositing  the  book  should  be  entitled  to  a  certificate  of 
deposit,  on  the  payment  of  a  small  fee,  which  certificate  should  be  made 
receivable  in  all  courts  of  justice  as  prima  facie  evidence  of  compliance 
with  the  conditions  of  the  law. 

The  omission  to  deposit  within  the  time  specified  should  not  invalidate 
the  copyright,  but  every  proprietor  of  copyright  should  be  allowed  to 
deposit  the  copy,  or  copies,  at  any  time  afterwards,  and  previous  to  the 
commencement  of  an  action  for  infringement  of  copyright,  by  paying 

the  value  of  the  book  and dollars.     But  if  the  book  be  demanded 

and  refused  the  copyright  should  be  thereby  forfeited. 

It  should  be  obligatory  that  record  be  kept  in  the  place  of  deposit;  that 
the  books  be  stamped  so  as  to  be  easily  and  with  certainty  identified,  and 
that  they  be  restricted  to  the  depository,  unless  required  by  a  court 
of  law. 

The  law  would  apply  not  only  to  books,  but  to  maps  and  charts,  music, 
engravings,  etc.,  and  should  require  that  every  copy  so  sent  for  security 
of  copyright  should  be  perfect,  and,  if  a  book,  well  bound. 

A  monthly  list  of  books  thus  deposited  should  be  printed  and  dis- 
tributed to  booksellers  and  others.     There  are  other  details  which  would 


TPIE  COPYRIGHT  COLLECTION.  445 

be  necessary  to  be  considered  in  preparing  such  a  law,  but  the}-  are 
easily  adjusted  after  establishing  the  principles  upon  which  the  enact- 
ment is  to  be  founded. 

A  law  with  the  provisions  above  stated  would  be  much  more  satisfac- 
tory to  the  publishers,  because  it  would  require  less  of  them  and  subject 
them  to  much  less  expense,  and,  more  than  all,  would  effect  what  the 
present  law  does  not,  security  of  copyright. 

The  question  next  arises,  "  Where  .shall  the  deposit  of  the  book  be 
made?"  If  but  one  copy  be  required,  I  beg  leave  to  suggest  that  it 
could  be  most  properly  placed  in  the  library  of  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion. The  connection  of  this  establishment  with  the  Government  is 
such  as  to  render  the  deposit  here  peculiarly  appropriate.  We  believe 
that  it  would  be  permanent! 3-  more  useful  here,  and  better  protected 
than  in  any  other  establishment.  The  rooms  in  the  State  Department 
appropriated  to  the  purpose  are  now  crowded  to  excess,  and  are  besides 
needed  for  other  purposes.  The  care  of  them  occupies  much  of  the 
time  of  a  clerk,  whose  services  can  ill  be  spared.  The  clerks  are  contin- 
ually changing,  and  hence  it  is  impossible  that  an}-  proper  sj'stem  for 
the  care  and  usefulness  of  the  books  can  be  carried  out.  The  business 
is  entirel)'  foreign  to  the  Department,  and  has,  I  have  been  told,  gener- 
ally been  considered  as  an  incumbrance.  It  belongs  more  properly  to  a 
public  library,  and  to  one  maintaining  just  the  relation  to  the  General 
Government  which  the  Smithsonian  Institution  does.  This  is  the  view 
taken  of  the  matter  in  other  countries.  In  England  the  copy  is  required 
for  the  British  Museum  (which  sustains  a  relation  to  the  British  Gov- 
ernment similar  to  that  w^hich  the  Smithsonian  Institution  does  to  our 
own)  and  not  for  the  library  of  the  House  of  Commons  or  any  library 
of  the  executive  departments. 

I  am  unable  to  say  whether  or  not  the  deposit  is  desired  by  the  guar- 
dians of  the  Library  of  Congress.  There  is  no  doubt,  however,  that  two 
or  even  three  copies  would  be  cheerfully  granted  by  all  publishers  in  this 
country,  if  they  were  sure  that  the  purposes  of  the  deposit  would  be 
ayiswered.  The  dissatisfaction  which  has  hitherto  been  expressed  has 
arisen  entirely  from  the  indefiniteness  of  the  law,  the  difl&culty  of  com- 
plying with  it,  and  the  doubt  whether  the  deposit  would  be  safely 
guarded,  and  rendered  available  for  the  object  for  which  it  is  made.' 

In  the  report  presented  January,  1853,  Professor  Jewett 
said,  with  regard  to  this  part  of  the  w^ork  of  the  library: 

Kver}'  book  which  has  been  received  has  been  immediately  and  care- 
fully recorded,  and  a  certificate  of  deposit  sent  (generally  b)^  return 
mail)  to  the  depositor.  The  same  care  has  been  exercised  for  the  most 
insignificant  as  for  the  most  important,  and  has  been  dictated  by  a  .sense 

'Sixth  Annual  Report  of  the  vSniith.sonian  Institution,  Thirty -second  Congress,  first 
session,  Senate  miscellaueous  document  No.  108,  pp.  31-37. 


446  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

of  justice  to  the  publishers,  inasmuch  as  the  deposit  was  supposed  to  be 
essential  to  the  perfection  of  their  title.  Had  the  articles  thus  sent  been 
regarded  merely  as  donations  to  the  library,  many  of  them  might  have 
been  differently  treated.  Loose  sheets  of  music,  schoolbooks,  and  many 
cheap  publications  might  merety  have  been  placed  together  in  some  spot 
where  they  would  long  have  remained  undisturbed.  For  themselves, 
and  as  parts  of  an  imperfect  collection,  thej^  were  hardly  worth  record- 
ing. It  should  be  particularly  obser\'ed  that  anj- article,  however  appar- 
entl)^  worthless,  acquires  value  and  importance  as  an  integral  part  of  a 
complete  collection.  A  collection  of  all  the  productions  of  the  American 
press  would,  if  perfect  and  entire,  teach  lessons  which  would  not  be 
gleaned  from  its  parts. 

It  would  show  the  extent  of  the  literary  labors  of  the  time. 

It  would  show  the  proportionate  attention  to  the  various  departments 
of  learning. 

It  would  show  from  year  to  year  the  increase  or  decrease  of  interest  in 
particular  pursuits. 

It  would  show  the  comparative  literary  fertility  and  wealth  of  differ- 
ent portions  of  the  country. 

It  would  show  the  progressive  improvements  in  the  subsidiary  arts  of 
papermaking,  binding,  engraving,  and  so  forth. 

All  these  points  possess  interest  to  different  classes  of  inquirers.  The 
wants  of  all  literary  investigators  should  be  respected,  and,  as  far  as 
possible  supplied.  The  historian  is  not  less  to  be  provided  for  than  the 
philosopher,  the  artist  than  the  statesman.  If  we  had  the  means,  we 
would  reject  nothing,  not  even  that  which  might  to  ourselves  appear 
utterly  tri\'ial  and  unworth}-  of  preservation,  for  the  article  which  one 
would  reject  might,  in  coming  times,  for  some  reason  which  could  not 
possibly  have  been  foreseen,  possess  more  interest  than  any  other  in 
the  collection. 

It  is  impossible  for  any  man  to  judge  competentlj'  of  the  wants  of 
future  generations.  It  is  unsafe  to  intrust  to  anj-one  the  power  of 
rejecting  works  as  worthless.  Manj' enlightened  contemporaries  of  Mil- 
ton and  Newton  would  have  rejected,  as  worthless,  the  Paradise  Lost  and 
the  Principia.  Sir  Thomas  Bodley,  the  founder  of  the  great  librarj-  which 
bears  his  name — a  contemporary  of  Shakespeare — insisted,  contrary  to 
the  advice  of  his  librarian.  Dr.  James,  in  excluding  plays  and  almanacs, 
and  most  pamphlets,  which  he  was  accustomed  to  call  "riffraff"  and 
"baggage-books."  The  Bodleian  Library  is  now  paying  very  high 
prices  for  those  books  which  then  might  have  been  procured  almost 
without  cost. 

It  is  stated  that  one  of  the  libraries  in  England,  to  which  books 
were  .sent  by  copyright,  and  which  was  allowed  to  select  such  as  were 
worthy  to  be  retained,  rejected,  in  a  single  year,  The  Antiquary;  Mrs. 
Opie's  novels;  one  of  Wordsworth's  odes,  and  his  letter  to  a  friend  of 


THE  COPYRIGHT  COLLECTION.  447 

Bums;  Cobbett's  publications;  Jameson  on  Minerals  (second  edition), 
and  the  Edinburgh  Medical  and  Surgical  Journal;  The  Siege  of  Corinth, 
and  Shelley's  Alastor;  Lord  Brougham's  Speech  on  agricultural  dis- 
tress, and  McCulloch's  Essay  on  the  national  debt;  Comparative  tables 
of  commercial  weights;  Beethoven's  musical  compositions,  and  many 
other  similar  works.  (See  "  Copy  of  a  representation  from  the  trustees 
of  the  British  Museum  to  the  treasur)',"  March  27,  1846,  p.  35.) 

There  ought  therefore  to  be  in  ever}-  country'  one  complete  collection 
of  ever^'thing  published — one  library  where  everj'thing  printed  should 
be  garnered  up  and  treated  as  of  some  importance;  for,  although  in  the 
multitude  of  libraries  everything  may  be  preserved  somewhere,  yet,  from 
being  scattered  about,  and  from  there  being  no  one  place  where  the 
student  would  be  sure  of  finding  all  that  he  might  seek,  many  books 
would  be  practically  lost. 

The  investigator  of  the  last  half  centur}-  of  American  historj-  is  now 
obliged  to  travel  the  country  through  to  collect  books  and  papers  for  his 
work.  Suppose  that  everj-thing  published  in  the  countr}-  for  the  last 
hundred  years  had  been  preserved  in  one  librarj-,  had  that  library  been 
in  town  or  country,  in  the  remote  East  or  farthest  South,  it  would  have 
been  the  great  place  of  resort  for  students  of  American  history. 

How  man)-  would  already  have  gained  among  its  alcoves  the  means  of 
presenting  to  the  world,  in  new  and  fresh  pictures,  the  cA-entful  historj- 
of  our  countr>-.  How  many  disputed  and  doubtful  points  would  have 
been  settled.  How  man}^  errors  would  have  been  avoided.  How  much 
injustice  to  private  character  would  have  been  silenced.  How  many 
bright  examples  of  patriotism  and  devotion,  now  lost,  would  have  been 
held  up  to  the  emulation  of  youth  and  the  admiration  of  all. 

Although  these  remarks  go  to  show  the  importance  of  a  complete  col- 
lection somewhere,  they  do  not  show  that  the  same  rule  of  accepting  or 
rejecting  should  be  followed  where  it  is  known  that  the  collection  can 
never  be  made  complete. 

Ever}-  partial  collection  is  supposed  to  be  a  selection  made  for  .some 
specific  purpose;  and  although  many  works,  apparently  very  remote  in 
their  character  from  those  chosen,  may  be  desirable,  yet,  when  means 
of  procuring  and  preserving  are  limited,  it  may  be  best,  it  maybe  neces- 
sary to  confine  the  selection  to  such  as  are  most  intimately  connected 
with  the  main  purpose  of  the  library. 

It  might  further  be  a  question  whether,  admitting  the  importance  of 
a  complete  collection  of  copyright  books,  it  should  be  made  here. 

I  endeavor  to  show,  in  my  last  report,  that  it  would  not  be  practicable 
to  collect  these  books  in  any  other  way  than  by  a  condition  of  the  copy- 
right law,  enforcing  the  deposit  somewhere. 

It  seems  appropriate,  if  not  necessary,  that  the  place  of  deposit  desig- 
nated by  Government  .should  be  at  Washington.  Inexperience  has  shown 
that  the  selection  of  the  State  Department  for  this  purpose  is  incou- 


448  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL    LIBRARY. 

veuient.  The  President  of  the  United  States,  in  his  last  message  to 
Congress,  has  expressed  the  opinion  that  it  would  be  a  benefit  to  the 
public  service  to  transfer  the  execution  of  the  copyright  law  from  the 
State  Department.  The  other  places  of  deposit  would  be  the  Library 
of  Congress  and  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  Whether  the  deposit  be 
made  here  or  in  the  Library  of  Congress,  it  certainlj-  is  the  duty  of  the 
Government  to  defray  all  expenses  connected  with  it.  It  pertains  to 
the  Government,  is  a  necessarj'^  condition  of  the  protection  which  the 
Government  promises  to  authors,  and  is  precisely  analogous  to  the  case 
of  the  deposit  of  models  in  the  Patent  Office.  This  Institution  can  not 
afford,  at  its  own  cost,  to  receive  and  take  care  of  everything  that  is 
deposited.  At  the  same  time  it  is  bound,  by  its  position,  to  urge  the 
necessity  of  the  deposit,  to  show  how  it  should  be  regulated,  and  to  do 
all  that  it  can,  without  prejudice  to  its  other  interests,  to  secure  to 
authors  and  to  publishers,  as  well  as  to  students  and  literary  men,  the 
full  advantages  which  the  law  contemplates.  I  accordingly  proposed 
last  year  a  plan  which  seemed  to  me  to  meet  all  the  necessities  of  the 
case. 

The  general  features  of  this  plan  were — 

1.  To  dispense  with  the  registration  of  title,  rendering  the  publication 
of  the  claim  of  copyright  the  only  preliminary  to  the  vesting  of  the  right 
previous  to  the  depositing  of  a  cop3^ 

2.  To  reduce  the  number  of  copies  required  for  deposit  from  three  to 
one. 

3.  To  require  the  deposit  of  one  copy,  at  the  risk  and  expense  of  the 
proprietor  of  the  copyright,  within  a  reasonable  time  after  publication. 

4.  To  require  a  small  fee  from  the  proprietor  sufficient  to  defray  the 
expense  of  furnishing  certificates,  keeping  records,  and  preserving  the 
books.  This  fee  might  be  made  considerably  less  than  that  now  required 
of  publisher  and  still  meet  all  those  purposes. 

Thus  the  trouble  and  expense  to  publishers  would  be  greatly  dimin- 
ished without  involving  any  burden  either  upon  Government  or  the 
Institution  receiving  the  deposits. 

The  deposit  in  the  library  of  this  Institution  might  be  made  of  great 
incidental  benefit  to  publishers  and  authors. 

It  has  been  proposed  to  issue  a  monthly  bulletin  to  contain  the  list  of 
all  books  deposited  during  the  preceding  month.  This  work  might, 
under  the  operation  of  such  a  law  as  proposed,  be  commenced  immedi- 
ately. It  would  be  widely  circulated  in  this  country  and  among  reading 
and  studious  men  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  Publishers  would  generally 
be  willing  to  pay  a  large  price  for  such  a  medium  of  advertising.  But 
in  the  case  supposed  the  advertisement  would  be  incidental  to  the 
deposit  and  would  cost  them  nothing.  By  our  system  of  stereotyping 
the  titles  .separately  they  would  not  only  fill  their  place  in  the  bulletin, 
but  would  serve  for  the  catalogue  of  our  own  library  and  of  every  other 
possessing  the  books  and  receiving  from  us  its  printed  catalogue. 


History  of  the  I,ibr;iry  of  Congress,  vol.   i,  platf  27. 


THE   COrYRIGHT   COLLECTION.  449 

Various  attempts  have  been  made  to  make  complete  lists  of  Americau 
publications,  but  although  some  have  been  quite  full  none  have  ever 
been  complete.     The  best  is  that  of  Mr.  Norton,  in  the  Literary  Gazette. 

It  would  be  matter  of  surprise  to  many,  and  of  patriotic  pride  to  all, 
to  know  the  interest  with  which  this  list  is  received  in  Europe.  But  a 
few  years  have  elapsed  since  an  English  review  arrogantly  asked,  "In 
the  four  quarters  of  the  world,  who  reads  an  American  book?"  It  would 
not  now  be  more  arrogant  in  us  to  demand,  what  citizen  of  the  great 
republic  of  letters  does  not  read  American  books? 

On  the  presentation  of  my  last  report,  I  hoped  that  it  would  be  printed 
and  distributed  early  in  the  year  among  publishers  and  authors,  that  we 
might  be  able  ere  this  time  to  ascertain  fully  their  views  on  the  subject. 
They  are  more  immediately  interested  in  the  matter,  and  nothing  should 
be  done  which  would  be  unsatisfactory  to  them. 

There  is  in  this  connexion  another  idea,  which  long  ago  occurred  to 
me,  but  which  I  have  not  ventured  to  suggest  openly  lest  it  should  seem 
extravagant,  and  because  I  could  see  no  immediate  means  for  accom- 
plishing the  object;  I  mean  an  international  copyright  exchange. 

If,  for  example,  a  duplicate  collection  of  all  works  for  which  copy- 
rights are  secured  in  this  country  could  be  made,  it  might  be  offered  to 
England  in  exchange  for  a  like  collection  of  its  own  publications;  and 
this  exchange,  if  prosperous  between  two  countries  might  be  extended 
to  all  the  principal  nations  of  the  book-making  world.  I  do  not  propose 
any  plan  for  effecting  this  end,  nor  do  I  know  that  it  could  ever  be  real- 
ized; but  in  view  of  what  has  been  done  by  this  Institution  during  the 
last  year  in  the  way  of  literary  exchanges,  such  an  idea  is  not  altogether 
chimerical.  The  advantages  which  would  result  from  such  an  inter- 
change would  be  immense.  The  literary  and  scientific  labors  of  each 
country  would  be  known  in  their  full  extent,  and  almost  simultaneously 
in  all  other  countries.  Would  not  science  advance  more  rapidly?  Would 
not  better  justice  be  done  to  American  genius? 

Nothing,  it  seems  to  me,  could  more  effectually  conduce  to  the  rapid 
progress  of  science  and  humanity  than  a  system  which  should  make  the 
literary  and  scientific  labors  in  each  country-  known  immediately  in  all 

others. 

The  books  gathered  would,  it  is  true,  be  in  but  one  librar>';  but  books 
in  a  large  public  library,  though  chained  to  the  shelves,  are  not  to  be 
shut  out  from  the  world.  They  contain  ideas  which  entering  the  minds 
of  those  who  have  access  to  them  fructify  and  the  fruit  is  scattered  far 
and  wide.  Books,  it  is  true  are  silent  and  motionless,  they  seem  to 
produce  no  results.  But  within  them  is  the  spring  of  all  progress,  the 
spirit  which  stimulates  and  su.stains  all  the  activity  that  the  world  of 
letters,  of  science,  of  pohtics,  and  of  religion,  manifests.' 

'Smithsonian  Institution  report,  March  i,  1853;  Thirty-second  Congress,  second 
session,  Senate  miscellaneous  document  No.  53,  pp.  36-40. 
23399—04 29 


450  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

The  result  of  these  reports  was  the  passage  of  an  act, 
March,  3,  1855,  authorizing  the  transmission  free  of  postage 
of  articles  entered  for  copyright.  The  effect  of  this  law  was 
to  diminish  considerably  the  expense  to  which  the  Institution 
had  been  subjected  in  receiving  books  of  this  kind.  On  the 
whole,  however,  the  law  relative  to  the  deposit  of  works 
intended  for  copyright  was  not  a  benefit  to  the  library,  as  a 
scientific  library  merely.  The  expense  of  certificates,  shelf 
room,  and  clerk  hire,  much  exceeded  the  value  of  all  the 
books  received  in  this  way.  Secretary  Henry  said  that  all 
the  books  published  in  the  United  States  required  for  the 
Smithsonian  library  might  have  been  purchased  for  one- 
tenth  part  of  what  had  been  expended  on  those  obtained  by 
the  copyright  law.  Schoolbooks,  works  intended  for  children, 
and  the  lighter  and  more  worthless  publications  of  the  day 
were  forwarded  to  the  library,  but  the  larger  and  more 
valuable  productions  of  the  American  press  were  often  with- 
held. The  principal  office  of  these  copyright  accessions, 
therefore,  was  to  swell  the  number  of  volumes  contained  in 
the  library  and  so  satisfy  those  who  desired  to  see  there  a 
large  number  of  books  rather  than  a  choice  collection.  They 
also  increased  the  cost  of  the  reading-room  service,  the  class 
of  literature  which  was  copyrighted  being  in  great  demand, 
especially  among  young  people.' 

On  the  5th  of  February,  1859,  the  copyright  section  of  the 
act  of  August  10,  1846,  was  repealed  and  the  copyright  busi- 
ness of  the  Department  of  State,  Library  of  Congress,  and 
Smithsonian  library  transferred  to  the  Department  of  the 
Interior. 

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL  ENTERPRISES,  GENERAL  CATALOGUE   OF 
AMERICAN  LIBRARIES,  COOPERATIVE  CATALOGUING,  ETC. 

In  the  original  programme  of  organization  a  proposition 
was  introduced  by  Professor  Bache  to  render  the  Institution  a 
center  of  bibliographical  knowledge  to  which  students  in  every 
part  of  the  country  could  apply  by  letter  or  otherwise  for 
information  as  to  what  books  existed  on  a  particular  subject 
and  in  what  libraries  they  could  be  found. 

'  Tenth  annual  report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  p.  30. 


AMERICAN   LIBRARY   STATISTICS.  45 1 

In  establishing  this  bibliographical  bureau  it  was  of  pri- 
mary importance  to  make  a  survey  of  American  libraries  in 
order  to  learn  their  condition  and  prospects  and  to  establish 
with  them  relations  indispensable  to  success  in  any  general 
system  of  operations.  Accordingly,  in  the  year  1848,  Librarian 
Jewett  began  the  collection  of  statistical  and  historical  notes 
on  the  libraries  of  the  United  States  by  sending  to  the  various 
libraries  a  circular  letter  containing  the  following  questions: 

I.  By  what  name  is  the  library  legally  designated?  2.  When  was  it 
founded?  3.  What  number  of  volumes  does  it  contain ?  4.  Has  it  col- 
lections of  manuscripts,  maps  and  charts,  music,  engravings,  medals, 
coins,  etc.?  If  so,  please  to  state  the  number  of  each  article  of  each 
description.  5.  Are  the  numbers  given  in  repl}^  to  the  last  two  ques- 
tions ascertained  by  actually  counting  the  volumes  and  articles,  or  are 
they  from  a  conjectural  estimate?  6.  What  has  been  the  yearly  average 
number  of  volumes  added  to  the  library  for  the  last  ten  years?  7. 
What  has  been  the  yearly  average  expenditure  for  the  purchase  of  books  ? 
8.  Is  there  a  permanent  fund  for  the  increase  of  the  library?  If  so, 
how  large  is  it,  and  what  sum  does  it  yield  annually  ?  9.  How  many  and 
what  officers  are  employed?  What  are  the  names  and  addresses  of  the 
present  officers?  10.  Has  a  building  been  erected  expressl)'  for  the 
library?  If  so,  when,  of  what  material,  and  at  what  expense?  11. 
What  are  the  dimensions,  and  what  is  the  ground  plan  of  the  librarj- 
building  or  rooms?  12.  Are  the  books  arranged  on  the  sheh^es  accord- 
ing to  subjects  or  on  some  other  system?  13.  Is  there  a  printed  cata- 
logue of  the  library?  If  so,  when  was  it  printed,  and  what  is  its  size 
and  the  number  of  pages?     If  more  than  one,  what  is  the  date  of  each? 

14.  How  is  the  library  opened,  and  how  long  is  it  kept  open  each  time? 

15.  Who  are  entitled  to  the  use  of  the  library  and  on  what  terms?  16. 
Are  books  lent  out  to  read?  If  so,  how  many  are  taken  out  annually? 
17.  What  is  the  yearly  average  number  of  persons  consulting  the  library 
without  taking  away  books?  18.  Have  the  books  been  injured  at  an}^ 
time  by  insects?  19.  Is  there  anj^  regulation  by  which  books  raa.y  be 
lent  by  courtesy  to  persons  at  a  distance?     If  so,  what  is  it?' 

By  the  end  of  the  year  1848  answers  had  been  received  from 
some  of  these  letters  and  Librarian  Jewett  had  visited  and 
examined  many  of  the  principal  libraries.  By  the  end  of 
the  year  1849  ^^^.ny  more  answers  had  been  received  and 
Professor  Jewett  had  collected  from  various  other  sources 
information   respecting  most  of  the   public   libraries  of  the 

'Thirty-first  Congress,  first  session,  Stnate  miscellaneous  documents,  No.  120,  pp. 
4-5- 


452  PLANS    FOR   A    NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

United  States.  In  the  following  year  the  results  of  this 
investigation  were  published  as  an  "Appendix  to  the  report 
of  the  Board  of  Regents  of  the  vSniithsonian  Institution,  con- 
taining a  report  on  the  public  libraries  of  the  United  States 
of  America,  January  i,  1850.  B}^  Charles  C.  Jewett,  librarian 
of  the  Smithsonian  Institution.'"  This  was  a  preliminary 
edition  onl}^,  and  those  who  received  copies  of  the  work  were 
requested  to  furnish  corrections,  additions,  and  suggestions 
for  a  second  edition,  so  that  within  a  few  years  materials 
might  be  obtained  for  accurate  accounts,  embracing  all  his- 
torical facts  of  importance  with  reference  to  every  library 
and  every  institution  possessing  a  library  in  the  country, 
and  including  the  history  and  statistics,  with  description  of 
the  bibliographical  and  scientific  treasures  of  each.  Decem- 
ber 31,  1853,  Librarian  Jewett  reported  that  the  first  edition 
of  the  "Notices  of  public  libraries"  being  almost  exhausted 
and  a  large  amount  of  additional  information  regarding 
American  libraries  having  been  received,  it  seemed  desirable 
to  issue  a  new  and  enlarged  edition  of  that  work.  In  the 
following  year,  accordingly,  the  task  of  preparing  a  new 
edition  of  this  work  was  intrusted  to  William  J.  Rhees. 
The  results  were  published  under  the  title  "Manual  of  public 
libraries,  institutions,  and  societies  in  the  United  States  and 
British  provinces  of  North  America.  By  William  J.  Rhees, 
chief  clerk  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  Philadelphia: 
J.  B.  Lippincott  &  Co.,  1859."  With  the  information  afforded 
by  these  publications,  cooperation  among  American  libraries 
and  the  activity  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  as  a  biblio- 
graphical bureau  was  made  possible. 

In  order,  however,  that  the  Institution  as  a  bibliographical 
bureau  might  inform  students  what  books  there  were  on  any 
subject  and  where  they  might  be  found,  it  was  necessary  for 
the  librarian  to  obtain  all  the  important  works  on  bibliog- 
raphy and  to  secure  copies  of  the  catalogues  of  all  the 
important  libraries  in  the  country.  Three  copies  of  each  cat- 
alogue it  was  thought  should  be  secured,  one  to  be  preserved 
in  its  original  form  and  the  other  two  to  be  cut  up  in  order 
that  the  titles  on  each  side  of  a  leaf  could  be  pasted  on  cards 

'Thirty-first  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  miscellaneous  documents,  No.  120. 


UNION   CATALOGUE  OF  AMERICAN   LIBRARIES.  453 

and  the  whole  arranged  in  drawers  so  as  to  form  a  general 
catalogue.  With  regard  to  the  preparation  of  this  general 
catalogue  of  American  libraries,  Professor  Jewett  reported, 
December  13,  1848,  as  follows: 

I  have  commenced  the  work  in  the  following  manner:  Taking  the 
printed  catalogue  of  the  librar}-  of  Harvard  University,  I  separate  the 
titles  and  paste  each  one  upon  a  card  about  6  inches  long  by  4  wide. 
This  size  card  was  selected  in  order  to  allow  room  for  long  titles  with 
the  annotations  which  may  be  necessary.  The  letters  "H.  U."  are  to 
be  stamped  upon  the  card  to  denote  that  the  book  belongs  to  Harvard 
University.  When  the  titles  of  the  Harvard  University  catalogue  are 
finished  it  is  proposed  to  begin  upon  the  catalogue  of  the  Philadelphia 
library.  Whenever  the  titles  are  the  same  it  will  be  sufiicient  to  stamp 
upon  the  card  in  addition  to  the  letters  "  H.  U."  the  letters  "P.  L.  C," 
thus  denoting  that  the  book  belongs  also  to  the  Philadelphia  Library 
Company.  When  new  titles  are  found  they  should  be  placed  upon  the 
cards  like  the  others.  The  catalogues  of  all  the  other  libraries  are  to 
be  treated  in  like  manner.  When  the  arrangement  of  the  printed  cata- 
logues is  completed  it  will  be  necessary  to  obtain  manuscript  continua- 
tions. These  must  be  copied  on  the  same  kind  of  cards.  It  will  then 
be  easy  to  arrange  the  titles  in  alphabetical  or  other  order  and  to  pre- 
serve them  in  such  order,  however  frequent  and  numerous  the  accessions 
which  may  be  made. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  enlarge  upon  the  great  value  of  such  a  cata- 
logue. From  it  we  could  readily  ascertain  what  books  there  are  in  the 
various  public  libraries  and  how  well  each  department  of  learning  is 
provided  for.  We  should  thus  be  enabled  to  fill  up  our  own  library 
with  a  more  intelligent  reference  to  the  actual  wants  of  the  country. 

Such  a  catalogue  will  also  enable  us  to  direct  a  student  to  the  books 
which  he  may  want,  if  they  are  to  be  found  in  any  of  our  libraries. 

There  will  be  also  an  incidental  advantage  gained  by  it  of  great 
importance  to  the  department  of  American  history  and  bibliography. 
The  Institution  proposes  to  publish  among  its  "contributions"  a  com- 
plete bibliography  of  the  materials  of  American  history  prior  to  A.  D. 
1700.  This  will  be  one  of  the  most  valuable  contributions  ever  offered 
to  the  facilities  for  studying  the  early  history  of  our  country.  But  it  is 
only  a  commencement.  The  books  relating  to  and  printed  in  America 
after  1700  are  vastly  more  numerous  and  certainly  of  great  importance. 
They  relate  to  the  period  of  our  early  struggles,  to  the  achievement  of 
our  independence,  to  the  formation  and  consolidation  of  our  Govern- 
ment. No  proper  bibliographical  survey  of  this  field  has  ever  yet  been 
made.  The  books  and  pamphlets  relating  to  it  were  published,  the 
larger  part,  perhaps,  in  America,  but  many  of  them  in  Europe,  and 
they  are  now  scattered  far  and  wide.     Some  ver>'  valuable  collections 


454  PLANS   FOR  A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY, 

have  been  made  of  them,  the  best  of  which  is  due  to  the  dihgence, 
learning,  and  devotion  of  a  distinguished  gentleman  of  this  city.  No 
collection,  however,  that  has  3'et  been  made  can  be  considered  complete. 
Still  we  ma^'  safely  say  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  books  extant 
relating  to  this  period  are  to  be  found  among  the  libraries  of  the  United 
States.  One  great  difficulty  heretofore  encountered  by  our  bibliographers 
has  been  to  ascertain  where  the}'  are  preserved.  Many  libraries  have  no 
printed  catalogues,  of  others  the  catalogues  are  far  in  arrears.  From 
our  supposed  general  catalogue  it  will  be  easy  to  find  every  book  of  this 
description  which  is  preserved  in  anj^  of  our  collections  and  to  ascertain 
at  a  glance  the  place  of  its  deposit. 

I  have  made,  of  course,  but  a  commencement  on  this  work.  To  bring 
it  to  completion  will  be  the  labor  of  more  than  another  year.'     ♦     *     * 

During  the  3'ear  1849  considerable  progress  upon  this  gen- 
eral catalogue  of  American  libraries  was  made.  Fifty-five 
thousand  titles  were  prepared  from  printed  catalogues,  and 
4,000  titles  had  been  transcribed.  The  work  thus  far  com- 
prehended a  catalogue  in  one  alphabet  of  the  several  libra- 
ries of  Cambridge  and  Washington. 

This  general  catalogue  was  of  use,  however,  onl}-  to  stu- 
dents resident  in  Washington  or  correspondents  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution.  It  was  manifest,  therefore,  that  its  benefits 
would  be  vastl}^  increased  if  copies  of  the  catalogue  could  be 
multiplied.  But  the  catalogues  of  the  different  libraries  were 
constructed  on  plans  so  various  and,  in  most  cases,  so  faulty 
that  it  was  unadvisable  to  print  an}'  catalogue  formed  from 
them.  It  therefore  occurred  to  Professor  Jewett  that  the 
formulation  of  a  set  of  rules  for  preparing  catalogues  would 
promote  uniformity  in  cataloguing,  at  least.  The  result  was 
the  "Smithsonian  report.  On  the  construction  of  catalogues 
of  libraries,  and  of  a  general  catalogue;  and  their  publication 
by  means  of  separate  stereot3'ped  titles.  With  rules  and 
examples.  By  Charles  C.  Jewett,  librarian  of  the  Smithsonian 
Institution."^ 

'Third  annual  report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  Thirtieth  Congress,  second 
session,  Miscellaneous  document  No.  48,  pp.  45-47. 

*  Washington:  Published  by  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  1852.  vi,  78  pp.  8°. 
2d  ed.  1853.  xii,  96  pp.  8°.  Translated  in  the  "  Biblioteca  di  bibliografia  e  paleo- 
grafia,"  with  the  title  "  Delia  compilazione  dei  cataloghi  per  biblioteche  e  del  modo 
di  pubblicarli  per  mezzo  di  titoli  separati  stereotipati.  Regole  ed  esempi  di  Charles 
C.  Jewett.  Prima  versione  dall'  inglese  a  cura  del  Dr.  Guido  Biagi,  bibliotecario 
della  R.  IMarucelliana  di  Firenze.  In  Firenze:  G.  C.  Sansoni,  editore,  1S8S."  ix, 
120  pp.     8°. 


COOPERATIVE   CATALOGUING.  455 

But  this  was  not  enough.  Library  trustees,  from  false 
notions  of  econoru}-,  often  employed  incompetent  librarians 
because  they  would  work  cheapl}-,  or  required  competent 
librarians  to  perform  so  man}-  other  duties  that  the}'  had  not 
time  to  devote  to  the  catalogue,  or,  finall}-,  crippled  and  tram- 
meled them  b}'  prescribing  absurd  and  unsuitable  systems. 
A  set  of  rules  intended  to  promote  uniformity  in  cataloguing 
would  not  be  sufficient;  there  must  be  cooperation  in  cata- 
loguing, and  the  end  of  that  cooperation  must  be  accuracy' 
and  cheapness.  The  cataloguing  of  American  libraries  might 
be  done  by  Smithsonian  or  other  experts  according  to  the 
rules  for  preparing  catalogues  above  mentioned,  and  the  cat- 
alogues thus  prepared  printed  at  the  Smithsonian  or  other 
central  office,  each  title  being  stereotyped  separately  and 
used  in  printing  every  subsequent  catalogue  of  the  same 
libraries  or  other  libraries.  In  this  way.  Professor  Jewett 
conceived,  a  book  once  catalogued  would  never  have  to  be 
catalogued  again;  what  was  spent  on  the  first  catalogue  of  a 
librar}'  would  never  have  to  be  spent  again,  either  by  that 
librar}^  or  by  any  other. 

This  plan  for  stereotyped  catalogues  was  presented  to  the 
Board  of  Regents  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  Jul}'  5,  1850. 
By  them  it  was  referred  to  the  Secretary  and  executive  com- 
mittee, who  in  turn  referred  it  to  a  commission  of  literary 
gentlemen  for  examination.  This  plan  provided  for  stereo- 
typing or  electrotyping  catalogues  of  libraries  in  a  uniform 
style,  and  forming  a  general  stereotype  catalogue  of  the  public 
libraries  of  the  United  States.  It  was  to  work  as  follows: 
Titles  of  books  were  to  be  stereotyped  on  separate  movable 
blocks.  These  blocks  were  to  be  kept  at  the  Smithsonian 
Institution,  and  used  for  the  printing  of  new  editions  of  the 
catalogues  for  which  they  were  originally  made,  allowing  the 
interposition  of  additional  titles  in  the  proper  order;  they 
were  to  be  used  also  for  the  printing  of  all  other  catalogues 
containing  the  same  titles,  in  the  printing  of  bibliographies  of 
particular  branches  of  knowledge — alphabetically,  chronolog- 
ically, or  classed — and  in  the  printing  of  a  general  catalogue 
of  the  public  libraries  of  the  United  States.  If  successfully 
carried  out  it  would,  it  was  thought,  make  more  available  the 


456  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

aids  to  literar}^  labor  alread}^  in  the  countr}^  and  secure  the 
construction  of  better  and  less  expensive  catalogues.  The 
plan  of  this  undertaking  was  discussed  by  its  author  in  his 
report  as  librarian  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  for  1850: 

It  would  not  be  possible  for  me  [said  he] ,  within  the  customar)'  limits 
of  a  report  like  this,  to  present  all  the  details  of  a  scheme  so  extensive; 
yet  it  is  proper  that  I  should  dwell  somewhat  at  length  upon  the  exigen- 
cies in  which  it  originated,  its  principal  features,  its  practicability,  and 
the  benefits  which  it  promises  to  our  public  libraries  and  to  the  cause 
of  knowledge. 

We  can  but  glance  at  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  difiiculties  which 
have  hitherto  been  encountered  in  attempting  to  furnish  suitable  printed 
catalogues  of  growing  libraries  and  which  have  led  or  are  leading  to  a 
common  abandonment  of  the  hope  of  affording  guides  so  important  to 
the  literary  accumulations  of  the  larger  libraries  of  Europe. 

It  is,  of  course,  entirely  practicable  to  publish  a  complete  and  satisfac- 
tor}'  catalogue  of  a  library  which  is  stationary.  But  most  public  libraries 
are  constantly  and  rapidly  increasing.  This  circumstance,  so  gratifying 
on  every  other  account,  is  the  cause  of  the  difficulties  to  which  I  have 
alluded. 

While  the  catalogue  of  such  a  collection  is  passing  through  the  press 
new  books  are  received,  the  titles  of  which  it  is  impossible  in  the  ordi- 
nary manner  of  printing  to  incorporate  with  the  body  of  the  work. 
Recourse  must  then  be  had  to  a  supplement.  In  no  other  way  can  the 
acquisitions  of  the  library  be  made  known  to  the  public.  If,  as  in  the 
Library  of  Congress,  the  number  of  supplements  be  increased  to  nine  the 
student  may  be  obliged  to  grope  his  weary  way  through  ten  catalogues 
instead  of  one  in  order  to  ascertain  whether  any  book  which  he  seeks  is 
in  the  library.  He  can  not  be  certain  even  then  that  the  book  is  not  in 
the  collection,  for  it  may  have  been  received  since  the  last  appendix  was 
printed.  Supplements  soon  become  intolerable.  The  whole  catalogue 
must  then  be  rearranged  and  reprinted.  The  expense  of  this  process 
may  be  borne  so  long  as  the  library  is  small,  but  it  soon  becomes  bur- 
densome, and  ere  long  insupportable  even  to  national  establishments. 

There  is  but  one  course  left — not  to  print  at  all.  To  this  no  scholar 
consents  except  from  necessit3\ 

But  to  this  alternative,  grievous  as  it  is,  nearly  all  the  large  libraries 
of  Europe  have  been  reluctantly  driven.  More  than  a  century  has 
passed  since  the  printing  of  the  catalogue  of  the  Royal  Library  of  Paris 
was  commenced.  It  is  not  yet  finished.  No  one  feels  in  it  the  interest 
which  he  would,  if  he  could  hope  to  have  it  kept  up  complete,  if  once  it 
were  brought  up  to  a  given  date. 

Doctor  Pertz,  chief  librarian  of  the  Royal  Library  of  Berlin,  declares 
that   to   print   the  catalogue  of   a   large    library,  which   is  constantly 


COOPERATIVE  CATALOGUING.  457 

increasing,  is  to  throw  money  away.  His  opinion  is  founded  upon  the 
supposed  impossibihty  of  keeping  up  the  catalogue  so  as  continually 
to  represent  the  actual  possessions  of  the  library. 

The  first  volume  of  the  new  catalogue  of  printed  books  in  the  British 
Museum  was  published  in  1840.  It  is  a  folio  of  four  hundred  and  fifty- 
seven  pages,  and  contains  all  the  titles,  under  the  letter  A,  of  books  in 
the  library  at  the  end  of  the  year  1838.  Mr.  Panizzi,  from  the  first, 
strongly  opposed  the  printing  of  any  part  of  the  catalogue  before  the 
whole,  up  to  the  prescribed  limit  (1838),  should  be  completed  in  manu- 
script. Time  has  shown  the  justness  of  his  views.  The  commissioners 
latel)'  appointed  by  the  Queen  to  inquire  into  the  constitution  and  man- 
agement of  the  Museum,  have,  in  their  report,  expressed  an  opinion 
decidedl}^  against  the  printing  of  the  catalogue  at  all,  and  principally  on 
the  ground  that  it  must  ever  remain  imperfect. 

One  of  the  witnesses  (the  Right  Honorable  J.  \V.  Croker)  examined 
before  the  commissioners  thus  strongly  states  the  case  with  respect  to 
printing: 

"You  receive,  I  suppose,  into  3'our  library  every  year  some  twenty 
thousand  volumes,  or  something  like  that.  Why,  if  j'ou  had  a  printed 
catalogue  dropped  down  from  Heaven  to  you  at  this  moment  perfect, 
this  day  twelve-month  j-our  twenty  thousand  interlineations  would  spoil 
the  simplicity  of  that  catalogue;  again  the  next  3'ear  twenty  thousand 
more;  and  the  next  year  twenty  thousand  more;  so  that  at  the  end  of 
four  or  five  years  3'ou  would  have  your  catalogue  just  in  the  condition 
that  your  new  catalogue  is  now  (the  manuscript  part  greater  than  the 
printed  part).  With  that  new  catalogue  before  your  eyes,  I  am  aston- 
ished there  should  be  any  discus.sion  about  it,  for  there  is  the  experi- 
ment; the  experiment  has  been  made  and  failed." 

Not  one  European  librarj^  of  the  first  class  has  a  complete  printed  cat- 
alogue in  a  single  work.  The  Bodleian  library  issued  in  1S43  a  cata- 
logue in  three  large  volumes,  folio,  which  is  generally  but  erroneously 
supposed  to  contain  the  titles  of  all  books  in  the  collection;  but  all  books 
of  which  special  catalogues  had  previously  been  printed  are  omitted  in 
it.  For  a  complete  catalogue  of  the  Bodleian  librar}^  it  is  necessary  to 
procure  not  only  the  three  volumes  (folio)  printed  in  1S43,  but  also  four 
other  volumes  containing  the  catalogues  of  collection  belonging  to  the 
library.  Therefore  one  may  be  obliged  to  search  five  catalogues  before 
he  can  ascertain  whether  any  particular  book  was  in  that  library  up  to 
the  end  of  the  year  1834. 

The  catalogue  of  1843  is  only  brought  down  to  1835.  None,  therefore, 
of  the  literature  of  the  last  fifteen  years  and  none  of  the  acquisitions  of 
the  library  during  that  period  are  contained  in  it.  A  supplement  is  in 
press,  or  perhaps  already  published,  which  contains  the  additions  to  the 
library  from  1835  to  1847.  When  this  is  published  it  will  be  possible  to 
ascertain  whether  any  given  book  was  or  was  not  in  the  library  up  to  the 


458  PLANS   FOR  A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

eud  of  the  5'ear  1847,  but  it  may  be  necessary  to  search  six  catalogues 
for  the  purpose. 

In  view  of  these  facts  it  is  not  surprising  that  the  commissioners  upon 
the  British  Museum  should  come  to  the  opinion  that  it  is  unwise  to  print 
the  catalogue  of  that  library  and  should  advise  that  nothing  more  be 
attempted  than  to  prepare  and  keep  up  a  manuscript  catalogue. 

But  in  this  opinion  the  British  public,  who  look  to  the  end  without 
considering  the  difficulties  of  the  way,  do  not  seem  cordially  to 
acquiesce,  and  it  will  perhaps  be  found  necessary  to  print,  even  at  the 
estimated  cost  of  ;i^40,ooo  sterling  and  with  the  certainty  that  almost  as 
soon  as  the  catalogue  comes  from  the  press  the  republication  of  it  will 
be  as  loudly  demanded. 

This  is  certainly  a  disheartening  state  of  things.  It  applies  with 
equal  force  to  catalogues  of  all  forms — alphabetical,  chronological,  and 
classed.  It  has  been  felt  and  lamented  b}^  everyone  who  has  had  the 
care  of  an  increasing  library. 

In  seeking  a  remedy  for  this  evil,  the  idea  occurred  to  me  several 
years  ago  to  stereotype  the  titles  separately  and  to  preserve  the  plates  or 
blocks  in  alphabetical  order  of  the  titles,  so  as  to  be  able  readily  to  insert 
additional  titles  in  their  proper  places  and  then  to  reprint  the  whole 
catalogue.  By  these  means  the  chief  cost  of  republication,  that  of  com- 
position, together  with  the  trouble  of  revision  and  correction  of  the 
press,  would,  except  for  the  new  titles,  be  avoided.  The  great  difficulty 
which  had  so  long  oppressed  and  discouraged  librarians  and  involved 
libraries  in  expenses  so  enormous  would  thus  be  overcome. 

This  idea  had  occurred  to  me  before  my  appointment  as  librarian  ot 
the  Smithsonian  Institution,  and  assumed,  in  my  mind,  new  importance 
in  connection  with  the  plan  of  forming  a  general  catalogue  of  American 
libraries. 

My  action  in  the  matter  was  checked  by  the  discouraging  opinions  ot 
several  stereotypers  whom  I  consulted.     I  did  not,  indeed,  believe  the 
difficulties  which  they  suggested  to  be  insuperable,  but  I  was  so  situated 
that  it  was  impossible  for  me  at  once  to  institute  the  experiments  neces 
sary  to  show  the  practicabilit)-  of  stereotj'piug  titles  separately. 

In  the  meantime  the  librarian  and  directors  of  the  American  Anti- 
quarian Society,  having  heard  of  the  plan,  opened  a  correspondence  with 
me  on  the  subject,  with  a  view  of  emplo3nng  it  in  the  republication  of 
their  own  catalogue.  The  energetic  aid  and  ingenious  suggestions  of 
one  of  the  directors,  the  Rev.  Edward  E.  Hale,  of  Worcester,  gave  a 
new  impulse  to  the  scheme,  and  induced  me  to  propose  its  adoption  b)' 
the  vSmithsoniau  Institution  .sooner  than  I  had  anticipated. 

The  .suggestions  of  Mr.  Hale  were  seconded  by  the  practical  skill  of 
Mr.  Wilcox,  an  ingenious  electrotypist  of  Boston,  who  made  the  electro- 
typed  page  of  .separate  movable  titles  which  I  have  already  sub- 
mitted to  your  in.spection.     It  is  a  beautiful  piece  of  work.     It  dem- 


COOPERATIVE  CATALOGUING.  459 

onstrated  to  the  conviction  of  the  most  incredulous  the  practicability  of 
this  method  of  printing  catalogues. 

After  the  plan  had  been  made  public  by  a  paper  which  I  presented  in 
August  last  to  the  American  Association  for  the  Advancement  of  Science, 
Mr.  John  K.  Rogers,  agent  of  the  Boston  Type  and  Stereotype  Foundry, 
de\nsed  a  method  of  accomplishing  the  purpose  by  means  of  the  common 
process  of  stereotyping.  He  caused  a  page  to  be  made  for  exhibition  at 
the  mechanics'  fair  in  Boston.  He  has  since  been  at  the  expense  of 
another  page,  very  handsom^ely  executed  and  with  several  improvements, 
which  I  have  now  the  pleasure  of  submitting  to  your  examination. 
This  page  establishes  the  applicability  of  the  common  stereotype  process 
to  our  purpose.  The  company  which  Mr.  Rogers  represents  is  ready  to 
enter  into  a  contract  to  do  the  work  at  a  very  small  advance  upon  the 
usual  price  of  stereotj^jing.  Whatever  the  result  may  be,  our  thanks 
are  due  to  Mr.  Rogers  for  his  intelligent  and  liberal  efforts. 

^Meanwhile  my  attention  was  directed  to  a  new  process  of  stereotyp- 
ing which  promises  to  form  an  era  in  the  art.  A  gentleman  from 
Indiana,  Mr.  Josiah  Warren,  is  the  inventor.  The  material  which  he 
uses  for  stereotyping  costs  not  more  than  3  cents  an  octavo  page.  The 
process  is  so  simple  that  any  man  of  average  ingenuity  could  learn  to 
practice  it  successfully  by  two  or  three  days'  instruction.  The  cost  of 
apparatus  for  carrying  on  the  work  is  very  small.  The  rapidity  of 
execution  is  such  that  one  man  can  produce  at  least  twenty-five  octavo 
pages  a  day,  all  finished  and  ready  for  use.  The  plates  give  a  beautiful 
impression.  They  seem  as  durable  as  common  stereotype  plates,  and, 
so  far  as  now  known,  they  are  not  in  any  great  degree  more  liable  to 
injury. 

If  this  invention  bears  successfully  the  severe  tests  of  practical  men, 
it  will  have  been  brought  forward  at  a  most  favorable  period  for  this 
project.  It  will  be  seen  by  the  specimens  which  I  hereby  present  that 
it  offers  extraordinary  facilities  for  the  kind  of  work  which  we  require, 
and  it  will  reduce  the  expense  very  greatly. 

This  preliminary  point  of  the  practicability  of  stereotyping  by  titles 
may  therefore  be  considered  as  established.  That  it  can  be  done  by  the 
electrotype  process,  as  well  as  by  the  ordinary  mode  of  stereotyping,  is 
placed  beyond  dispute.  It  seems  equally  certain  that  it  can  be  done  by 
Mr.  Warren's  method.  The  choice  among  these  three  ways  must  be 
determined  by  their  comparative  economy,  convenience,  and  elegance. 
We  have  not  yet  had  the  opportunity  to  bring  this  point  to  a  final 
decision.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  the  work  can  be  done.  I  pro- 
ceed therefore  to  state  the  proposed  vianner  of  applying  this  plan  to  the 
printing  of  catalogues  of  particular  libraries,  and  to  the  formation  of  a 
general  catalogue  of  all  the  libraries  in  this  country.      It  is  as  follows  : 

I .  The  Smithsonian  Institution  to  publish  rules  for  the  preparation  of 
catalogues. 


460  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

2.  To  request  other  institutions  intending  to  publish  catalogues  of 
their  books  to  prepare  them  according  to  these  rules,  with  a  \dew  to 
their  being  stereotj^ped  under  the  direction  of  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion. 

3.  The  Smithsonian  Institution  to  pay  the  whole  extra  expense  of 
stereotyping,  or  such  part  thereof  as  may  be  agreed  on. 

4.  The  stereotyped  titles  to  remain  the  property  of  the  Smithsonian 
Institution. 

5.  Ever}'  librar}^  uniting  in  this  plan  to  have  the  right  of  using  all 
the  titles  in  the  possession  of  the,  Institution  as  often  as  desired  for  the 
printing  of  its  own  catalogue  by  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  paying 
only  the  expense  of  making  up  the  pages,  of  the  presswork,  and  of  dis- 
tributing the  titles  to  their  proper  places. 

6.  The  Smithsonian  Institution  to  publish,  as  soon  as  possible  and 
at  stated  intervals,  general  catalogues  of  all  libraries  coming  into  this 
system. 

It  is  believed  there  is  nothing  impracticable  in  any  part  of  this  plan, 
provided  that  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  it  be  such  as  to  secure  the 
cooperation  of  the  various  libraries  in  the  country.  To  these  benefits, 
therefore,  it  is  necessary  to  direct  particular  attention. 

And  first,  let  us  consider  its  advantages  in  an  economical  point  of  view 
to  the  first  institution  adopting  it. 

We  will  suppose,  for  example,  that  the  American  Antiquarian  Society 
proposes  to  publish  a  new  catalogue  of  its  library.  This  institution 
printed,  in  1837,  ^  handsome  and  valuable  catalogue,  in  five  hundred 
and  sixty-two  large  octavo  pages,  in  fine  type.  The  composition  cost, 
we  will  suppose,  one  dollar  a  page.  All  this  must  now  be  reprinted,  in 
order  to  add  the  titles  of  books  received  since  1S37,  ^^^  number  of  which 
is  almost  equal  to  that  of  the  former  catalogue.  If  a  new  catalogue  be 
now  printed,  in  ten  or  twelve  years  it  will  be  necessary  to  reprint  the 
whole,  and  this  process  will  go  on,  till  the  expense  of  reprinting  will  be 
quite  appalling.  Now,  had  the  titles  of  the  original  catalogue  been 
stereotyped,  the  catalogue,  instead  of  costing  for  the  composition  five 
hundred  dollars,  might  have  cost,  for  composition  and  stereotyping, 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  counting  the  extra  cost  of  stereotyping 
in  titles  50  per  cent  abov^e  that  of  composition. 

But  the  necessity  of  recomposing  the  first  part  would  no  longer  exist. 
Five  hundred  dollars  would  therefore  be  saved  in  the  first  reprint,  whilst 
the  extra  expense  of  stereotyping  was  only  two  hundred  and  fift}^  dol- 
lars. Thus  the  net  gain  would  be  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  minus 
the  cost  of  newly  making  up  and  composing  the  old  matter,  which  would 
be  very  inconsiderable.  But  there  would  be  still  further  gains.  It 
would  not  be  thought  necessary  to  print  so  large  editions  if  the  work 
could  be  reproduced  at  a  trifling  expense.  The  rearrangement,  too, 
passes  from  the  hands  of  the  librarian  to  those  of  the  printer;  and  the 
proof  reading  has  been  done,  once  for  all. 


COOPERATIVE  CATALOGUING.  46 1 

The  time  for  applying  this  system  to  the  first  edition  is  indeed  past, 
but  the  same  reasoning,  at  the  present  moment,  appHes  to  the  second. 
If  the  whole  be  now  stereotyped,  and  two  hundred  copies  struck  off, 
the  accessions  for  the  first  year  ma}^  be  stereotyped  and  printed  sepa- 
ratel}-,  and  in  the  second  or  third  3'ear  a  new  catalogue  may  be  issued, 
with  the  additions  incorporated.  In  the  meantime,  it  is  probable  that 
many  of  the  supplementary  titles  would  have  been  stereotyped  for  other 
libraries,  and  thus  the  cost  of  writing  them  out  and  of  stereotyping 
them  be  spared  to  the  Antiquarian  Society.  If  the  cost  of  composition 
for  the  catalogue  about  to  be  published  (containing  thirty  thousand 
titles  or  more)  be  stated  at  one  thousand  dollars,  for  an  additional  sum 
of  five  hundred  dollars  the  necessity  of  recomposing  would  be  forever 
obviated,  and  the  great  advantage  secured  of  being  able  to  print  every 
two  or  three  j-ears,  at  small  expense,  new  editions,  each  complete  to  the 
time  of  its  publication. 

It  is  thus,  I  think,  demonstrable  that,  even  for  the  use  of  a  single 
librarj',  this  plan  would  be  economical. 

Let  us  next  consider  the  advantages  which  the  second  library,  adopting 
the  plan,  may  hope  from  it  in  an  economical  point  of  view. 

We  will  suppose,  for  the  sake  of  example,  that  after  the  catalogue  of 
the  Antiquarian  Society's  library  has  been  stereotj-ped,  and  the  titles 
placed  under  the  care  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  it  is  proposed  to 
issue  a  new  edition  of  the  catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress.  What 
inducements  would  there  be  for  adopting  this  plan  ? 

It  has  been  the  practice  in  this  library  to  print  a  new  edition  of  the 
catalogue  every  ten  years,  and  to  issue  annual  supplements.  About 
one-fifth  of  the  catalogue  has  been  printed  five  times ;  two-fifths  four 
times,  etc.  Now,  from  what  has  already  been  said,  it  will  be  manifest 
how  great  the  saving  would  have  been  had  this  plan  been  known  and 
followed  from  the  first,  even  if  the  first  cost  of  stereotyping  by  titles 
had  been  twice  or  three  times  that  of  ordinary  printing;  and  conse- 
quently how  great  the  prospective  advantage  of  adopting  the  plan,  even 
independently  of  any  general  system. 

But  I  now  suppose  that,  when  the  plan  is  adopted  for  the  Library  of 
Congress,  the  catalogue  of  the  Antiquarian  library  has  already  been 
stereotyped,  and  that  the  titles  are  in  possession  of  the  Smithsonian 
Institution,  for  the  use  of  other  libraries  entering  into  the  general  arrange- 
ment.    Here  is  a  new  and  very  important  element  in  the  calculation. 

We  suppose  the  number  of  titles  of  the  Antiquarian  library,  already 
stereotyped,  to  be  thirty  thousand.  Some  of  these  would  doubtless  be 
the  same  in  both  collections.  P'or  all  that  is  common  to  the  two,  the 
expense  of  WiO:  preparation  of  titles,  of  composition,  and  of  revision  would 
be  saved  to  the  Library  of  Congress.  It  is  impossible  to  say,  with  exact- 
ness, how  much  the  saving  would  be  from  these  sources,  because  these 
two  catalogues  are  not  uniform  nor  complete.  If  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress was  properly  catalogued  it  would  give,  perhaps,  .seventy  thou- 


462  PLANS   FOR   A    NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

sand  titles.  Of  these  I  presume  not  less  than  fifteen  thousand  would  be 
identical  with  the  same  number  of  the  Antiquarian  library.  At  this 
rate,  more  than  one-fifth  of  the  labor  and  cost  of  preparation  would  be 
saved  by  the  use  of  titles  prepared  and  stereotyped  by  others,  over  and 
above  the  savings  alread}'  enumerated. 

After  the  stereotyping  of  the  x\ntiquarian  Library  and  the  Library  of 
Congress  we  should  have  perhaps  eighty-five  thousand  stereotyped  titles. 
Of  course  the  third  institution  adopting  the  plan  would  be  likel}^  to  find 
a  verj^  large  number  of  its  titles  identical  with  those  already  stereotj-ped. 
The  amount  saved  by  the  use  of  titles  already  stereotyped  would  soon 
(perhaps  in  the  third  library)  be  sufficient  to  counterbalance  the  extra 
expenditure  for  stereotyping  for  that  library.  At  any  rate,  the  extra 
expense  would  be  a  quantity  constantly  and  rapidly  diminishing,  and  it 
would  soon  (certainly  after  the  fourth  or  fifth  library)  vanish  entirely. 
The  Smithsonian  Institution  would  not  therefore  be  required  to  assume 
the  charge  of  an  enterprise  which  might  involve  it  in  great  and  increas- 
ing expense,  but  rather  and  solely  to  help  put  into  operation  and  to  guide 
a  system  which  will  almost  immediately  pay  its  own  way  and  will  soon 
save  enormous  sums  of  money  to  our  public  libraries. 

That  the  aggregate  economy  of  this  plan  would  be  very  great  maj'  be 
seen  from  the  following  statement: 

We  have  in  our  library  fifteen  thousand  pages,  mostly  in  octavo,  of 
catalogues  of  public  libraries  in  the  United  States.  These  contain  at 
least  four  hundred  and  fift}^  thousand  titles.  But  according  to  the  best 
estimate  which  I  can  make  from  a  comparison  of  these  catalogues,  there 
are  among  them  not  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  different 
titles.  Two-thirds,  then,  of  the  whole  cost  of  printing  the  catalogues 
the  first  time  might  have  been  saved  by  assuming  the  extra  expense 
of  stereotyping  the  remaining  third. 

I  have  put  thus  prominently  forward  the  economy  to  be  expected  from 
the  proposed  enterprise,  not  because  this  in  my  estimation  is  the  most 
pow^erful  argument  in  favor  of  it,  nor  because  I  should  entirely  despair 
of  its  adoption  were  it  not  advantageous  in  a  pecuniary  point  of  view^ 
but  because,  even  if  there  were  no  other  reasons  for  it  (provided  there 
were  none  against  it),  the  fact  of  its  great  economy  would  be  decisive, 
and  because  in  the  present  poverty  of  our  institutions  of  learning,  and  in 
the  vast  number  of  plans  for  the  extension  of  their  usefulness,  which 
present  themselves  for  consideration  and  claim  approval  this  might  stand 
a  much  smaller  chance  of  success  if  it  rested  entirely  upon  other  grounds 
than  the  saving  of  money. 

Having  now,  however,  .shown  its  econoni}'  when  emplo5-ed  by  a  single 
library  and  its  great  economy  in  connection  with  a  general  system,  I 
proceed  to  suggest  a  fev/  among  the  many  benefits  to  the  cau.se  of  knowl- 
edge which  this  plan  promises  if  generally  adopted. 


COOPERATR'E   CATALOGUING.  463 

It  can  hardly  be  necessary  for  me  to  dwell  at  length  upon  the  benefits 
to  be  expected  from  a  general  printed  catalogue  of  all  books  in  the  pub- 
lic libraries  of  America.  By  means  of  it  every  student  in  America  would 
have  the  means  of  knowing  the  full  extent  of  his  resources  for  investiga- 
tion. The  places  where  the  book  could  be  found  v»'ould  be  indicated  in 
the  catalogue.  A  correspondence  would  be  kept  up  between  this  Insti- 
tution and  e\-ery  other  library  in  the  country.  A  system  of  exchange 
and  of  general  loans  might,  with  certain  stringent  conditions,  be  estab- 
lished, so  that  all  the  literary  treasures  of  the  country  would  be  measur- 
ably accessible  to  every  scholar.  When  the  loan  of  a  book  would  be 
impossible,  extracts  could  be  copied,  quotations  verified,  and  researches 
made  through  the  inter^'ention  of  this  Institution,  w^hich  would  in  many 
cases  be  nearly  as  valuable  to  the  student  as  the  personal  examination 
of  the  book. 

In  connection  with  this  topic  I  would  add:  By  law  a  cop}'  of  every 
book  for  which  a  copyright  shall  be  secured  in  this  country'  is  required 
to  be  delivered  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution  and  to  be  presen-ed 
therein.  It  is  hoped  that  additional  legislation  on  this  subject  will, 
while  it  lightens  the  burdens  of  publishers,  secure  the  obser\-ance  of  this 
law  with  respect  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution  in  all  cases.  If,  then, 
the  books  thus  obtained  be  all  preserved,  they  will  constitute  the  com- 
plete monumental  history  of  American  literature  during  the  existence  of 
the  law.     It  is  useless  to  enlarge  upon  the  value  of  such  a  collection. 

If,  now,  a  list  of  these  publications,  as  they  come  into  the  library, 
should  month  by  month  be  published  in  the  proposed  Bulleti7i  and  the 
titles  immediately  .stereot3'ped,  the  expense  vrould  be  trifling  of  publish- 
ing every  j-ear  a  catalogue  of  the  books  copyrighted  in  America  during 
the  year,  and  to  print  everj-  five  ^-ears  a  general  catalogue  of  American 
publications  up  to  that  limit.  Thus  the  monthly  bulletins,  the  annual 
lists,  and  the  quinquennial  catalogues  would  furnish  full  and  satisfactory 
records  of  American  publications. 

Again,  this  general  catalogue  would  enable  purchasers  of  books  for 
public  hbraries  to  consult  judiciously  for  the  wants  of  the  country.  So 
poor  are  we  in  the  books  which  scholars  need;  so  long,  at  best,  nuist  we 
remain  in  a  condition  of  provincial  dependence  in  literary  matters,  that 
a  responsibility  to  the  whole  country-  rests  upon  the  man  who  selects  the 
books  for  anj'  public  library'. 

Another  important  benefit  of  this  system  is  that  it  allows  us  to  var>- 
the  form  of  the  catalogue  at  will  from  the  alphabetical  to  the  classed  and 
to  modify  the  classification  as  we  please.  The  titles,  separately  stereo- 
typed, ma}'  change  their  order  at  command.  If,  for  example,  it  were 
required  to  print  a  separate  list  of  all  books  in  the  country  on  the  sub- 
ject of  meteorology,  it  would  be  nece.s.sary  merely  to  check  off  in  the  gen- 
eral catalogue  the  titles  to  be  used  and  to  hand  it  to  the  printer  to  do  the 
rest  of  the  work. 


464  PLANS   FOR   A    NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

Another  great  benefit  of  this  project  would  be  to  secure  iiyiiformity  in 
catalogues.  A  good  degree  of  uniformity  would  be  absolutely  indis- 
pensable to  the  success  of  the  plan.  Entire  uniformity  is  not,  indeed, 
to  be  expected.  Perfection  is  not  an  attribute  of  the  works  of  man. 
But  a  much  higher  degree  of  uniformity  would  result  from  this  plan 
than  could  otherwise  be  hoped  for.  The  rules  for  cataloguing  must  be 
stringent,  and  should  meet  as  far  as  possible  all  difficulties  of  detail. 
Nothing,  so  far  as  can  be  avoided,  should  be  left  to  the  individual  taste 
or  judgment  of  the  cataloguer.  He  should  be  a  man  of  sufficient  learn- 
ing, accuracy,  and  fidelity  to  apply  the  rules.  In  cases  of  doubt  refer- 
ence should  be  made  to  the  central  establishment,  to  which  the  whole 
work  should  be  submitted  page  by  page  for  examination  and  revision. 
Thus  we  should  have  all  our  catalogues  formed  substantially  on  one 
plan.  Now,  even  if  the  plan  adopted  were  that  of  the  worst  of  our 
catalogues,  if  all  were  made  on  the  same  plan  this  uniformity  would 
render  catalogues  thus  made  far  more  useful  than  the  present  chaos 
of  irregularities.  But  we  hope  that  the  best  possible  system  may  be 
adopted. 

Another  general  consideration  is  that  this  project  looks  toward  the 
accomplishment  of  that  cherished  dream  of  scholars — a  luiiversal  cata- 
logue. If  the  system  should  be  successful  in  this  country  it  may  event- 
ually be  so  in  every  country  of  Europe.  When  all  shall  have  adopted 
and  carried  out  the  plan  each  for  itself,  the  aggregate  of  the  general  cat- 
alogues thus  formed,  few  in  number,  will  embrace  the  wdiole  body  of 
literature  extant,  and  from  them  it  will  be  no  impossible  task  to  digest 
and  publish  a  universal  bibliography.  How  much  this  would  promote 
the  progress  of  knowledge  by  showing  more  distinctly  what  has  been 
attempted  and  accomplished  and  what  yet  remains  to  be  achieved,  and 
by  thus  directing  the  outlay  of  intellect  aright;  how  much,  by  rebuking 
the  rashness  which  rushes  into  authorship  ignorant  of  what  others  have 
written  and  adding  to  the  mass  of  books  without  adding  to  the  sum  of 
knowledge;  how  much  by  giving  confidence  to  the  true  and  heroic  stu- 
dent, who  fears  no  labor,  so  that  it  bring  him  to  the  commanding  height 
at  which  he  aims — the  summit  of  learning  in  the  branch  to  which  he 
devotes  himself;  how  much  such  a  work  would,  in  these  and  other 
ways,  promote  the  great  object  we  have  in  view  is  well  deserving  the 
attention  of  every  thoughtful  mind.  Upon  it  I  may  not  at  present  longer 
dwell. 

In  America  alone  can  this  system  be  put  iuto  immediate  operation. 
In  every  large  country  in  Europe  the  arrears  in  cataloguing,  or  the 
mass  of  titles  accumulated  in  the  libraries,  would  render  the  first 
expenses  of  the  enterprise  quite  startling.  But  here  all  things  conspire 
in  our  favor;  our  libraries  are  all  small  and  mostly  repetitions  one  of 
another.  But  they  are  prosperous  and  will  rapidly  increase.  Their  sup- 
porters are  all  desirous  of  having  printed  catalogues.     A  central  adminis- 


COOPERATIVE  CATALOGUING.  465 

tration  is  uecessar}-.  This  can  be  accepted  by  tlie  Smithsonian  Institution, 
whose  position  is  peculiarl}^  favorable  and  whose  funds  are  consecrated  to 
such  purposes.  The  enterprise  requires  no  great  outlay  of  money,  no 
gigantic  effort.  It  may  go  noiselessly  but  rapidly  into  operation.  There 
is  nothing  to  prevent  its  immediate  usefulness. 

The  commissioners  appointed  to  examine  and  report  upon  the  project 
considered  not  only  its  general  features  but  also  its  minute  details.  To 
them  were  submitted  the  rules  proposed  for  cataloguing,  which  were 
separately  discussed,  and  after  having  been  variously  amended  and  modi- 
fied were  recommended  for  adoption.  It  is  not  supposed  that  this  code 
provides  for  every  case  that  will  occur.  The  peculiarities  of  books  are, 
like  the  idiosyncracies  of  authors,  innumerable.  They  baffle  the  best 
efforts  of  classification,  except  under  general  heads.  The  most  elabo- 
rateh'  formed  laws  for  recording  their  titles  would  be  inadequate  to  pro- 
vide for  entire  uniformit}'  or  consistency.  Doubts  and  difficulties  would 
inevitably  arise  as  to  the  application  of  the  laws.  These  must,  to  pre- 
vent varying  decisions,  be  submitted  to  one  pensou.  Hence  it  is  impor- 
tant that  the  first  part  of  the  work,  which  will  furnish  examples  for  the 
rest,  should  be  done  under  the  immediate  e^'e  of  the  superintendent. 

Easy  as  the  operation  may  seem  to  those  who  have  never  attempted 
it,  there  is  no  species  of  literary  labor  so  difficult  or  that  requires  knowl- 
edge so  extensive  and  various  as  the  cataloguing  of  a  large  library.  It 
demands  peculiar  qualifications  of  patience  and  accuracy  and  a  special 
education — a  professional  training.  Even  those  most  expert  must  work 
slowh'  if  they  would  avoid  mistakes.  It  is  therefore  a  great  considera- 
tion that  on  this  plan  each  title  once  prepared  is  prepared  for  all  the 
libraries  in  which  the  book  occurs;  whereas  on  any  other,  time  and 
thought  and  labor  are  repeated  for  every  copy  of  the  book. 

From  the  favor  with  which  the  plan  has  been  met,  it  can  hardly  be 
doubted  that  it  will  receive  the  hearty  and  vigorous  cooperation  of  all 
the  libraries  in  the  country.  Several  are  ready  to  begin  upon  their  cat- 
alogues at  once.  For  the  reasons  already  stated,  however,  it  is  desirable 
to  begin  here.  At  first  the  work  can  not  proceed  rapidly.  After  the 
accumulation  of  a  con.siderable  number  of  titles,  progress  will  be  much 
more  accelerated. 

Great  as  this  enterprise  is,  it  will  not  require  the  outlay  of  much 
money  on  the  part  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  to  put  it  in  operation, 
which  being  once  done  it  will  take  care  of  it.self.  It  will  not  be  a  con- 
stant drain  upon  our  funds,  but  on  the  contrary  it  will  ere  long  far  more 
than  repay  in  the  facilities  for  making  our  own  catalogue  all  that  may 
at  first  be  expended  upon  it. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

Chari.ks  C.  Jkwett.' 

December  31,  1850. 

'Smithsonian  Institution  report,  Thirty-first  Congress,  special  session,  INIarch  i, 
1851,  Senate  Miscellaneous  document  No.  i,  pp.  32-41. 

23399—04 30 


466  PLANS   FOR  A   NATIONAL  LIBRARY. 

At  the  library  convention,  September  15,  1853,  other  points 
in  relation  to  this  method  of  cataloguing  were  discussed  by 
Professor  Jewett.     He  said: 

It  may  not  be  amiss  for  me  to  notice  one  or  two  objections  which 
may  occur  to  the  minds  of  practical  printers  against  the  use  of  these 
stereotype  plates.  One  is  that  the  plates,  being  used  so  often,  will 
become  worn;  and  that  when  new  plates  are  inserted  the  difference 
between  the  new  and  old  plates  will  be  observable  on  the  printed  sheets. 

To  this  objection  I  can  say  in  reply,  first,  the  number  of  copies 
required  for  each  catalogue  would  be  so  small  that  it  would  be  many 
years  before  there  would  be  any  noticeable  difference  between  the  old 
and  new  plates  were  they  made  from  common  type  metal;  but,  .secondly, 
the  material  which  we  employ  is  harder  than  tj^pe  metal  and  resists  much 
longer  the  wear  of  the  press.  I  presume  that  a  run  of  100,000  copies 
would  not  make  any  observable  difference  between  the  old  plates  and 
the  new. 

Another  difficulty  which  may  suggest  itself  to  some  is  in  keeping  the 
register  and  preserving  a  uniform  length  of  pages.  The  register,  so  far 
as  the  top  and  sides  of  the  page  are  concerned,  can  be  kept  most  per- 
fectly. Variations  in  the  length  of  the  pages  can  not  be  entirely  avoided. 
But  if  some  pages  be  longer  or  shorter  by  three  or  four  lines  it  is  not  a 
very  serious  matter.  It  may  offend  a  printer's  eye,  but  would  not  be 
noticed  by  the  general  reader.  I  may  remark,  however,  that  there  are 
several  ways  of  reducing  the  inequalities.  Very  long  titles  may  be 
stereotyped  in  two  or  three  pieces.  The  titles  on  a  short  page  may  be 
spread  apart,  making  the  matter  a  little  more  open,  and  thus  elongating 
the  page.  The  catalogue  may  be  printed  in  double-column  folio.  This 
size  is  preferable  for  a  catalogue  on  other  accounts.  It  presents  more 
titles  to  the  eye  at  once,  and  it  also  saves  paper. 

I  would  not  be  understood  as  insisting  upon  the  catalogue  being  in 
folio,  nor,  indeed,  upon  its  being  alphabetical.  These  are  matters  not 
essential  to  the  system.  Each  librarian  can  choose  for  himself,  the 
system  possessing  this  great  advantage,  that  it  is  equally  applicable  to 
the  folio,  quarto,  or  octavo  size,  to  alphabetical  and  to  classed  catalogues. 

There  is  one  other  point  which  may  be  noticed.  This  kind  of  cata- 
logue is  not  recommended  for  all  purposes  for  which  a  catalogue  or  list 
of  books  may  be  desirable.  It  is  proposed  as  the  standard  catalogue  for 
reference  in  ever)'  library  containing  works  of  permanent  value.  It  is 
proposed  as  the  basis  for  all  other  apparatus,  such  as  indexes,  shelf 
lists,  "finding  catalogues,"  or  .short  title  catalogues,  which  it  may  be 
thought  that  the  peculiar  circumstances  of  any  library  or  every  library 
require.  From  this  catalogue  all  others  may  easily  be  made.  This  is 
supposed  to  be  in  general  the  first  and  most  important  of  all  the  means 


COOPERATIVE  CATALOGUING.  467 

for  rendering  a  library  serviceable  to  all  classes  of  persons  who  may- 
consult  it.' 

By  this  proceSvS  the  "Smithsonian  report  on  the  con- 
struction of  catalogues  of  libraries,"  1853,  and  the  "Cata- 
logue of  the  Library  of  Congress.  Chapter  I,  Ancient 
histor}^,"  1854,  were  printed,  as  we  have  described  above. 
Pending  a  further  appropriation  for  the  completion  of  the 
Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  the  workmen  engaged 
on  these  two  publications  were  employed  to  appl3'  the  sys- 
tem to  the  printing  of  the  Congressional  Globe.  Eventu- 
ally, however,  this  method  of  stereotj^ping  proved  a  failure, 
owing  to  the  shrinkage  and  warping  of  the  material  which 
formed  the  plates.'  Other  methods  of  stereotyping  might 
be  employed,  but  this  could  be  employed  only  in  cases 
where  the  plates  could  be  used  within  a  limited  period  in 
the  printing  of  different  catalogues  or  bibliographies. 

The  plan  of  stereotyping  titles  separately  was  the  basis 
not  only  of  the  plan  of  cooperative  cataloguing,  but  of  all  the 
bibliographical  plans  of  the  Institution.  The  stereotyped 
titles  which  w^ere  used  in  printing  the  catalogues  of  different 
libraries  might  as  well  be  used  also  in  printing  the  bibliog- 
raphies of  different  subjects.  So  a  series  of  bibliographical 
works  was  projected  and  commenced  by  the  Institution. 

In  the  report  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Institution,  December 
13,  1849,  the  plan  of  a  Bibliographia  americana,  to  be  com- 
piled b}'  Henrj^  Stevens,  at  that  time  America's  greatest 
bibliographer,  and  published  by  the  Smithsonian  Institution, 
was  set  forth.  This  was  the  first  of  the  great  bibliographical 
undertakings  of  the  Institution;  undertakings  the  failure  of 
which  caused  Henry  Stevens  to  refer  to  that  Institution  in 
later  3^ears  as  "that  might}^  limbo  of  expensive  ventures." 

Professor  Henry  said: 

*  'Jf-  *  The  Smithsonian  Institution  has  been  the  means  of  starting 
an  important  literary  enterprise,  intended  to  facilitate  the  study  of  the 
history  and  literature  of  our  country.  Mr.  Henry  Stevens,  who  has 
been  engaged  for  a  number  of  years  as  the  agent  in  this  country  of  the 

'  Norton'' s  Literary  and  Educational  Register  for  1S54,  p.  67. 
'W.  F.  Poole,  in  Library  Journal  ^  11:  200. 


468  PLANS   FOR  A   NATIONAL  LIBRARY. 

Britisli  Museum  and  other  European  libraries,  has  commenced  the 
preparation  of  a  bibliographical  work,  comprising  a  description  of  all 
books  relative  to  or  published  in  America  prior  to  the  year  1700,  and 
indicating  not  only  the  contents  and  value  of  the  books,  but  also  the 
principal  libraries  in  this  and  other  countries  where  they  are  to  be  found. 
The  preparation  of  a  work  of  this  kind  will  be  in  accordance  with  that 
part  of  our  plan  which  contemplates  rendering  the  Institution  a  center 
of  bibliographical  knowledge,  and  will  have  a  direct  influence  in  pro- 
moting the  objects  of  the  various  historical  societies  which  are  now 
established  in  almost  ever}^  State  of  the  Union,  and  in  bringing  the 
Institution  into  friendly  relations  with  them.  A  certificate  has  been 
given  to  Mr.  Stevens  to  the  effect  that  this  work,  if  found,  by  a  com- 
mission to  whom  it  shall  be  referred,  properly  executed,  will  be  accepted 
for  publication  as  part  of  the  Smithsonian  Contributions  to  knowledge. 
Assured  by  this  certificate  that  the  work  will  be  properly  executed,  a 
number  of  gentlemen  and  institutions,  whose  libraries  will  be  examined 
and  referred  to,  have  liberally  subscribed  to  defray  the  necessary 
expense  of  its  preparation.  With  this  encouragement,  Mr.  vStevens  has 
started  for  Europe  to  commence  investigations  in  foreign  libraries.' 

The  prospectus  of  this  work  was  as  follows: 

BIBLIOGRAPHIA    AMERICANA. 

A  bibliographical  account  of  the  sources  of  early  American  history; 
comprising  a  description  of  books  relating  to  America  printed  prior  to 
the  year  1700,  and  of  all  books  printed  in  America  from  1543  to  1700, 
together  with  notices  of  many  of  the  more  important  unpublished  manu- 
scripts. Prepared  by  Henrj^  Stevens,  and  published  under  the  direction 
of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  at  Washington. 

PLAN   OF    THE    WORK. 

1.  It  will  contain  a  descriptive  list  of  all  books  relating  to  America 
and  of  all  books  printed  in  America  prior  to  the  year  1700  which  may 
be  found  in  the  principal  and  private  libraries  of  Europe  and  America, 
or  which  are  described  in  other  works;  together  with  notices  of  many  of 
the  more  important  unpublished  manuscripts. 

2.  The  descriptions  will  be  made,  as  far  as  possible,  from  an  examina- 
tion of  the  books  themselves.  If  any  be  taken  from  other  sources  of 
information  they  will  be  distinguished  by  some  peculiar  mark. 

3.  The  titles,  including  the  imprint  or  colophon,  will  in  all  cases  be 
given  in  full,  word  for  word,  and  letter  for  letter. 

4.  The  collatio7t  of  each  book  will  be  given;  that  is,  such  a  descrip- 
tion as  will  indicate  a  perfect  copy. 

'Third  annual  report  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  Thirtieth  Congress,  second 
session,  Miscellaneous  documents.  No.  48,  p.  17. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIA   AMERICANA.  469 

5.  The  market  value  of  the  books,  with  the  prices  at  which  they  have 
been  sold  at  public  sales,  will,  whenever  possible,  be  given. 

6.  Diflerent  editions  and  various  translations  of  the  principal  works 
will  be  diligently  compared  with  each  other,  and  their  variations  and 
relative  merits  pointed  out,  especially  of  such  works  as  the  collections  of 
voyages  and  travels  by  De  Bry,  Hulsius,  Ramusius,  Hakluyt,  Purchas, 
Thevenot,  etc.;  the  corresponding  parts  of  which  will  be  compared,  not 
only  with  each  other,  but  with  the  editions  of  the  works  from  which 
they  were  translated,  abridged,  or  reprinted. 

7.  Bibliographical  notes  wall  be  appended  when  deemed  necessary, 
containing  abstracts  of  the  contents  of  the  works  when  the  titles  fail  to 
give  a  proper  idea  of  them;  anecdotes  of  authors,  printers,  engravers, 
etc.;  important  items  of  historical  and  geographical  information;  notices 
of  peculiarities  of  copies,  as  large  paper,  vellum,  cancelled  leaves,  etc.; 
the  number  of  copies  printed,  together  with  the  comparative  rarity  and 
intrinsic  value  of  the  works. 

8.  The  notes  upon  the  books  printed  in  America  wall  comprise  a  full 
history  of  the  origin  and  progress  of  printing  in  North  and  South  Amer- 
ica from  the  year  1543  to  1700. 

9.  Under  the  title  of  every  work  will  be  designated  one  or  more  libra- 
ries in  which  it  may  be  found. 

10.  The  titles  will  be  arranged  alphabetically  under  the  names  of  the 
authors  or  the  leading  word  of  the  title. 

1 1 .  The  work  will  contain  a  full  introductory  memoir  upon  the  mate- 
rials of  early  American  history,  together  with  an  account  of  the  princi- 
pal collections  of  them  which  have  been  made  in  Europe  and  America. 

12.  Three  indexes  to  the  contents  of  the  work  will  be  given,  viz: 
I,  a  chronological  index,  in  which  the  titles  will  be  arranged  according 
to  the  years  in  which  the  works  were  printed;  2,  an  index  of  the  sub- 
jects treated  in  the  books;  3,  an  alphabetical  index  of  the  persons  and 
subjects  mentioned  in  the  notes  and  introductory  memoir. 

PREPARATION   OP   THK    WORK    FOR    TlIR    PRKSS. 

1.  The  expense  of  preparing  the  work  for  the  press  will  be  defrayed 
by  subscription. 

2.  It  is  estimated  that  the  work  will  contain  not  less  than  five  thousand 
titles,  which  are  to  be  obtained  from  the  public  and  private  libraries  of 
England,  Ireland,  Scotland,  France,  Germany,  Denmark,  Sweden,  ?Iol- 
land,  Belgium,  Italy,  America,  Spain,  etc.  It  is  obvious  that  if  any  single 
individual  possessed  the  requisite  knowledge  of  languages  and  bibliog- 
raphy for  this  task  it  would  require  of  him  several  years  of  unremitting 
toil.  In  order,  therefore,  to  accomplish  the  labor  within  a  reasonable 
period  it  will  be  necessary  to  employ  upon  it  several  persons.  These 
should  be  learned  and  responsible  men.  Such  men  can  not  be  emploj-ed 
unless  their  services  be  well  requited.     Besides  this,  the  whole  work 


470  PLANS   FOR  A   NATIONAL  LIBRARY. 

must  be  superintended  and  revised  by  Mr.  Stevens  himself,  who,  for 
this  purpose  will  be  subjected  to  heavy  traveling  and  other  expenses. 
It  is  estimated  that  the  necessary  expenses  attending  the  preparation  of 
the  work  for  the  press,  to  say  nothing  of  Mr.  Stevens's  own  time  and 
services,  will  amount  to  $5,000  (or  ^1,000).  The  work  will  not  there- 
fore be  commenced  until  this  sum  is  subscribed. 

3.  Any  public  institution  or  any  individual  possessing  books  of  this 
class  may  join  in  the  subscription  on  the  following  conditions,  viz: 

(i)  That  all  the  books  of  this  class  belonging  to  each  subscriber  be 
submitted  to  the  inspection  of  Mr.  Stevens  and  all  reasonable  facilities 
and  assistance  be  afforded  him  in  his  work. 

(2)  That  the  name  of  the  subscriber  be  indicated  under  the  title  of 
every  book  which  he  contributes,  so  that  when  the  work  is  completed  it 
will  show  not  only  the  treasures  but  also  the  deficiencies  in  this  depart- 
ment of  the  library  of  each  subscriber  and  enable  him  by  marginal 
marks  against  the  titles  of  books  which  he  may  subsequently  procure 
to  preserve  a  perpetual  record  of  his  collection  and  of  its  deficiencies. 

(3)  That  each  subscriber  be  entitled  to  contribute  not  only  the  title 
of  every  book  of  this  class  which  he  may  possess  at  the  time  of  subscrib- 
ing, but  also  of  all  other  books  of  this  class  which  he  may  procure  for 
his  own  library  previously  to  January,  1850,  or  before  the  work  shall  go 
to  the  press. 

(4)  That  the  sum  subscribed  by  each  be  in  proportion  to  the  number 
of  titles  contributed,  or  be  such  as  Mr.  Stevens  may  accept. 

(5)  That  this  sum  be  paid  to  Mr.  Stevens  on  the  acceptance  of  the 
manuscript  for  publication  by  the  Smithsonian  Institution. 

(6)  That  each  subscriber  be  entitled  to  receive  from  the  Smithsonian 
Institution  ten  copies  of  the  work  for  every  $500  (or  ^100)  subscribed, 
and  in  the  same  proportion  for  a  larger  or  smaller  subscription. 

4.  Inasmuch  as  the  library  of  the  British  Museum  contains  a  larger 
number  of  this  class  of  books  than  any  other  library  in  the  world,  and  at 
the  same  time  affords  extraordinary  facilities  for  bibliographical  research, 
it  is  proposed  to  commence  the  work  there.  All  the  titles  which  this 
library  can  furnish  will  be  written  out  upon  cards  made  for  the  purpose, 
measuring  about  8  inches  by  6.  When  these  have  been  carefully 
revi-sed  and  copied  they  will,  if  it  be  desired,  be  sent  in  small  parcels  to 
each  of  the  subscribers  for  their  inspection  and  remarks.  When  the 
work  is  completed,  so  far  as  the  library  of  the  British  Museum  can 
furnish  the  materials,  Mr.  Stevens  will  himself  visit  each  of  the  other 
libraries  for  which  he  will  have  received  subscriptions,  comparing  and 
revising  the  titles,  and  adding  such  other  books  as  he  may  find  which 
had  not  been  previously  described. 

5.  It  is  hoped  that  sufficient  force  can  be  advantageously  emplo3'ed 
upon  the  work  to  prepare  it  for  the  press  in  eighteen  months. 


History  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  vol.   i,  plate  i&. 


BIBLIOGRAPHIA   AMERICANA.  471 

PUBUCATION   OF   TIIK  WORK. 

When  the  manuscript  of  the  work  shall  have  been  completed,  accord- 
ing to  the  plan  detailed  above,  it  is  to  be  delivered  to  the  Secretary  of 
the  Smithsonian  Institution  at  Washington,  who  will,  in  accordance  with 
the  rules  of  the  Institution,  as  published  in  the  Programme  of  Organiza- 
tion of  December  8th,  1847,  submit  it  to  a  commission  of  competent 
judges.  If  the  commission  report  favorably  as  to  the  faithful  execution 
of  the  work,  it  is  to  be  published  and  distributed  at  the  sole  expense  of 
the  Smithsonian  Institution,  constituting  one  or  more  volumes  of  the 
quarto  series  of  Smithsonian  Contributions  to  knowledge,  similar  in 
form  and  style  of  execution  to  the  first  volume  about  to  be  published. 
It  will  be  uniform  with  the  quarto  edition  of  the  United  States  Explor- 
ing expedition.' 

In  the  preparation  of  this  work  Henry  Stevens  worked 
along  two  lines ;  first,  the  description  of  the  Americana  which 
passed  through  his  hands  as  a  bookseller,  and,  second,  the 
description  of  the  Americana  in  the  British  Museum.  In 
connection  with  the  first  he  undertook  the  publication  of 
a  monthly  periodical  entitled  Stevens's  American  Bibli- 
ographe}-^  the  purpose  of  which  he  explained  as  follows: 
"My  object  in  issuing  this  periodical  is  to  'book'  materials 
for  my  Bibliographia  americana,  and  to  receive  the  coopera- 
tion of  librarians  and  bibliographers  in  the  examination  and 
collation  of  rare  books  relating  to  America.  I  have  advanced 
sufficientl}'  far  in  my  Bibliographia  americana  to  know  that 
it  is  perfectl}^  impossible  to  prepare  the  cop}'  in  manuscript 
with  sufficient  accuracy  to  print  from  at  a  time  and  place 
when  and  where  the  rare  book  described  can  not  be  referred 
to.  I  therefore  in  this  periodical  shall  print  the  titles  of 
each  work  in  full,  and  correct  the  proofs  from  the  books 
themselves  as  they  pass  through  my  hands  or  are  found  in 
the  library  of  the  British  IMuseum  or  elsewhere.  Brief 
collations  of  each  work  will  be  given,  with  notes,  illustra- 
tions, etc.  Wishing  not  to  interfere  with  the  Bibliographia 
americana,  I  limit  the  number  of  subscribers  positively  to 
75,  and  hope  that  I  may  be  fortunate  enough  to  secure  as 
subscribers  in  the  United  States  50  librarians  and  bibli- 
ographers who  will  be  kind  enough  to  point  out  to  me  such 

'Third  annual  report  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  Smithsonian  Institution,  Thirtieth 
Congress,  second  session,  IMiscellaneous  No.  48,  pp.  55-57. 


472  PLANS   FOR   A    NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

inaccuracies  and  variations  as  they  may  detect  in  comparing 
ni}^  titles  and  obser\'ations  with  their  own.  Price  3s.  6d.  per 
number,  or  $10  a  year." ' 

The  first  number  of  this  periodical  was  issued  January  5, 
1854,  but  only  two  numbers  seem  to  have  been  published. 

After  abandoning  the  periodical  Henry  Stevens  planned  to 
print  the  bibliographical  notes  which  he  collected  in  a  series 
of  contributions  to  the  Bibliographia  americana,  to  be  entitled 
"Historical  nuggets."  In  this  preliminary  work  he  planned 
to  include  nothing  which  could  be  as  well  printed  for  the  first 
time  in  the  larger  work;  in  other  words,  it  was  to  embrace 
only  such  book  rarities  as  it  would  be  difiicult  to  describe  with 
exactness  from  any  single  copy.  The  series  was  to  be  com- 
pleted in  ten  volumes,  volume  10  to  contain  the  index.  In 
1857  the  first  two  volumes,  including  3,000  titles,  were 
printed,^  and  by  1862  considerable  progress  had  been  made 
with  three  more  volumes,  including  4,500  titles,  but  no  more 
volumes  were  published,  and  as  the  periodical  ended  with  the 
second  number,  so  the  series  ended  with  the  second  volume. 

In  his  second  and  less  onerous  line  of  investigation,  his 
examination  and  description  of  the  Americana  in  the  British 
Museum,  Mr.  Stevens  was  hardly  more  successful. 

In  1856  he  published  a  "Catalogue  of  American  books  in 
the  library  of  the  British  Museum."  This  was  complete  at 
the  date  of  its  publication,  and  Stevens  intended  to  keep  it 
complete  and  reissue  it  from  time  to  time,  but  was  unable  to 
do  so. 

The  "Nuggets"  and  the  "Catalogue,"  which  were  thus  to 
supplement  each  other  and  together  form  a  collection  of 
material  for  the  Bibliographia  americana,  having  failed,  the 
project  of  the  Bibliographia  americana  itself  was  given  up. 

The  history  of  the  other  bibliographical  undertakings  of 
the  Institution  was  similar. 

In  December,  1852,  a  "Bibliographia  americana  historico- 
naturalis,  or  Bibliography  of  American  natural  history  for 
the  year  1851,"  by  Charles  Girard  (64  pp.,  8°),  was  pub- 
lished, but  the  publication  was  not  continued.     In  January, 

'^ Norton^ s  Literary  Gazette  y.  214,  December  15,  1S53. 
''They  were  not  published  until  1862. 


THE   librarian's    REPORT,   1 848.  473 

1853,  the  librarian  reported  that  the  catalogue  of  biblio- 
graphical works  in  the  library  would  shortl}^  be  put  to  press, 
that  the  list  of  periodical  publications  received  by  the  library 
was  nearly  finished,  and  that  a  bibliography  of  education  was 
expected  to  be  finished  during  the  year  1853.  But  of  these 
onl}'-  the  second  was  published,  the  failure  of  the  biblio- 
graphical undertakings  of  the  Institution  being  consequent 
upon  the  defeat  of  the  librar}^  plan. 

DEFEAT    OF   THE    LIBRARY    PLAN. 

The  }nodus  vivcndi  established  by  the  compromise  resolu- 
tions adopted  Januar}^  26,  1847,  ^"^^  unsatisfactory  to  both 
parties,  and  both  recognized  that  they  had  effected  a  tempo- 
rary solution  of  the  problem  only.  It  was,  therefore,  neces- 
sar}^  for  Librarian  Jewett  to  carry  on  within  the  Smithsonian 
Institution  the  library  propaganda  which  Senator  Choate  and 
Representative  Marsh  had  undertaken  in  the  halls  of  Con- 
gress, and  keep  the  library  plan  to  the  front  by  extended 
dissertations  in  his  annual  reports  upon  the  value  and  neces- 
sity of  a  national  library. 

In  his  first  report,  presented  December  13,  1848,  Librarian 
Jewett,  in  describing  the  work  preparatory  for  his  "Notices  of 
public  libraries  in  the  United  States  of  America,"  dwelt  upon 
this  subject  at  length.     He  said: 

I  regret  that  the  answers  to  the  queries  have  not  all  been  received,  so 
that  I  am  unable  at  present  to  ofier  a  full  report  respecting  them.  The 
most  important  statistics  have,  however,  been  obtained.  These  are  pre- 
sented in  an  accompanying  document.  I  beg  leave  here  to  offer  some 
important  deductions  from  the  facts  contained  in  this  paper. 

The  aggregate  number  of  volumes  in  the  public  libraries  of  the  United 
States  is  about  1,294,000.  These  are  distributed  among  182  libraries. 
Forty-three  of  these  libraries  contain  over  10,000  volumes  each;  nine 
over  20,000  each,  and  only  two  50,000.  The  library  of  Harvard  Uni- 
versity, the  largest  this  side  the  Atlantic,  contains,  together  with  the 
libraries  of  the  law  school  and  the  divinity  .school,  upward  of  70,000 
volumes. 

These  statements  enable  us  to  institute  an  instructive  comparison 
between  our  lil)raries  and  those  of  the  principal  nations  of  Europe.  It 
should  be  premi.sed,  however,  that  it  is  a  very  difficult  thing  to  procure 
exact  statistics  of  libraries.  With  reference  to  France,  Oermany,  Bel- 
gium, Russia,  and  Spain  we  are  in  ixjssessiou  of  comparatively  accurate 


474 


PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 


returns.  With  respect  to  Great  Britain,  Holland,  Sweden,  Denmark, 
and  Norway  those  which  I  give  below  are  as  accurate  as  I  could  pro- 
cure, though  certainl}^  not  very  satisfactory.  I  am  not  acquainted  with 
any  book  which  gives  a  good  account  of  the  present  condition  of  libra- 
ries in  several  of  these  countries,  except  one,  to  which  I  have  not  had 
access.  For  greater  convenience  of  reference  and  comparison,  I  present 
these  statistics  in  a  tabular  form. 

The  first  column  of  the  table  gives  the  name  of  the  country. 

The  second,  the  year  to  which  the  statistics  relate. 

The  third,  the  number  of  public  libraries.  By  public  libraries  are  not 
meant  those  exclusively  which  are  opened  to  the  public  without  restric- 
tion, but  rather  those  belonging  to  public  institutions,  and  which  are 
accessible  under  proper  regulations  to  persons  who  wish  to  consult  them 
for  literary  purposes. 

The  fourth  column  contains  the  aggregate  number  of  volumes  in  the 
libraries. 

The  fifth  gives  the  number  of  libraries  containing  over  10,000  volumes 
each. 

The  sixth,  the  average  number  of  volumes  in  libraries  containing  over 
10,000  volumes  each. 

The  seventh,  the  number  of  volumes  in  the  largest  library  of  each 
country. 

The  eighth,  the  number  of  volumes  to  every  million  of  inhabitants. 

Comparative  statistics  of  libraries  in  Germany^  France^   Great  Britain,  Russia, 
United  States  of  America,  Denmark,  Belgium,  Sweden,  Spain,  and  Norway. 


Germany,  including 
Austria  and  Switzer- 
land        

France 

Great  Britain     .     .     . 

Russia 

United  States  of  America 

Denmark       .... 

Belgium 

Sweden 

Spain 

Norway 


1845 
1844 
1840 

1843 
1847 
1840 
1841 
1 841 

1835 
1842 


103 
241 

31 
120 
182 
13 
31 
16 
21 
14 


l-i 

t-t  u 

m-w 

11 

S  K 

0  K 

V  ui 

Hi 

3  M 

3  V 

0  '- 

sa 

.^03 

u  0 

<u      0 

•2  w  0 

>.3  « 

< 

^ 

< 

z. 

5,  578,  980 

68 

80,  000 

600, 000 

4,  771,000 

121 

35,000 

800, 000 

2, 001,  000 

23 

85,  000 

420, 000 

1,321,  115 

16 

69,  000 

464, 000 

I,  294,  000 

43 

17,  000 

70, 000 

660,  000 

5 

123,  000 

400, 000 

614,  722 

16 

35,000 

100, 000 

358,000 

7 

43,000 

150, 000 

354,  557 

5 

57,  000 

200, 000 

157,  783 

2 

74,  000 

1 26, 000 

3  "1  e 

a  <u  >  a 
u 


136,  072 

145,  000 

83, 000 

28,  000 

64,  000 

330,  000 

153-  000 

120,  000 

30,  000 

150,  000 


This  table  enables  us  to  estimate  at  a  glance,  and  with  a  good  degree 
of  accuracy,  the  relative  value  of  the  public  provisions  made  in  Europe 
and  America  for  general  intellectual  culture,  as  well  as  of  those  for  the 
most  extensive  scientific  and  literary  research. 


THE   librarian's   REPORT,  1848.  475 

It  will  be  seen  that  in  the  niunber  of  public  libraries  France  is  the  only 
country  in  the  world  that  excels  us.  It  should  be  observed  that  the 
returns  respecting  France  are  official  and  minute,  including  libraries  of 
not  more  than  500  volumes.  Many  of  our  public  schools,  however, 
possess  libraries  larger  than  these,  but  they  are  not  enumerated  in  our 
lists.  If  they  were,  they  would  swell  the  number  of  American  libraries 
far  beyond  that  of  any  other  country  in  the  world. 

hi  the  aggregate  number  of  volumes  m  the  public  libraries  Germ,any, 
France,  Great  Britain,  and  Russia  are  before  us.  Were  all  the  di.strict- 
school  libraries  and  village  collections  in  the  United  States  included  in 
the  estimate,  we  should  probabl}'  take  fourth  rank. 

In  the  average  size  of  libraries  containi^ig  over  ten  thousand  volumes  we 
are  the  last  of  all. 

In  the  size  of  the  largest  library  we  also  stand  last  of  all. 

In  the  number  of  vohimes ,  compared  with  the  popidation,  we  rank  below 
all  b^it  Russia  and  Spain. 

These  results  show  that  in  public  provisions  for  the  general  diffusion 
of  knowledge  by  means  of  libraries,  we  stand  in  the  very  first  rank 
among  the  nations;  and  when  we  consider  the  cheapness  of  our  publica- 
tions and  the  vast  number  of  them  scattered  over  the  land,  with  the 
extent  of  our  periodical  literature,  we  may  justly  and  proudly  challenge 
a  comparison  with  any  nation  in  the  world  for  the  means  of  general 
culture.  This,  certainly,  is  much  for  a  countr)^  so  new,  whose  chief 
energies  have,  as  a  matter  of  necessit}^  been  directed  to  the  felling  of 
forests,  the  clearing  of  lands,  and  the  support  of  physical  life.  It 
shows,  as  well  remarked  by  a  foreign  writer,  ' '  that  the  man  who,  with 
steady  and  vigorous  hand,  have  known  how  to  rule  themselves  and  be 
completely  free,  have  well  discerned  the  foundations  upon  which  alone 
the  w'eal  of  a  free  State  can  safel}'  repose. ' ' 

But  this  deduction,  so  full  of  encouragement,  so  fraught  with  matter 
for  gratulation  and  pride,  must  be  followed  by  others  of  a  different 
character. 

The  statistics  given  indicate  that  while  no  country  in  the  world  has 
done  so  much  for  diffusing  knowledge,  none  has  done  so  little  toward 
furnishing  the  means  which  public  libraries  can  supply  for  its  increase. 
It  was  doubtless  the  first  duty  of  the  infant  republic  to  provide  that  all 
should  know  something,  that  the  mass  of  the  people  should  be  elevated 
and  enlightened.  It  has  now  become  her  duty  to  see  to  it  that  no 
bounds  are  placed  to  the  culture  that  each  may  obtain  if  he  chooses. 
Now,  in  the  hour  of  her  strength,  she  ought  to  provide  for  her  citizens 
the  means  of  as  high  culture,  of  as  profound  research,  of  as  noble 
advances  in  science,  literature,  and  art  as  are  enjoyed  by  the  citizens 
of  any  other  nation  in  the  world.  She  should  take  care  that  while  the 
poor  man's  son  may  ol)tain  that  elementary  education  which  will 
enable  him  to  perform  the  duties  of  a  good  and  intelligent  citizen,  he 
be  not,  by  his  po\-erty,  debarred  from  the  higher  walks  of  .science  and 


476  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

literature;  that  there  be  no  monopoly  of  learning  b}'  the  rich — by  those 
who  are  able  to  study  at  the  institutions  of  Kurope,  or  to  surround 
themselves  by  the  books  which  they  need  at  home.  Our  condition  in 
these  respects  has  been  deeply  lamented  by  our  scholars.  At  various 
times  strong  efforts  have  been  made  for  its  improvement.  At  length  the 
munificent  bequest  of  a  foreigner,  placed  at  the  disposal  of  Congress, 
furnished  the  means  of  meeting  this,  among  other  demands  of  science 
and  letters.  In  the  act  of  Congress  establishing  the  Smithsonian 
Institution,  and  in  the  acts  of  the  Board  of  Regents  for  the  organization 
of  the  same,  a  large  public  library  forms  a  prominent  feature. 

It  has  been  supposed  by  some,  not  acquainted  with  researches  requir- 
ing many  books,  that  very  large  libraries  are  superfluous.  They  calcu- 
late, perhaps,  how  many  books  a  man  can  read  in  a  long  life,  and  ask 
what  can  be  the  use  of  more.  Nay,  even  many  men  fond  of  reading  feel 
like  an  English  writer  of  some  note  who  describes  his  pain  as  amounting 
to  ' '  midsummer  madness ' '  when  he  entered  a  large  library  and  reflected 
how  small  a  number  of  all  the  books  it  contained  he  could  read  through. 

"In  my  youthful  days,"  sa3's  De  Quincey,  "I  never  entered  a  great 
librar}^,  say  of  100,000  volumes,  but  my  predominant  feeling  was  one  of 
pain  and  disturbance  of  mind,  not  much  unlike  that  which  drew  tears 
from  Xerxes,  on  reviewing  his  immense  army,  and  reflecting  that  in  one 
hundred  years  no  one  soul  would  remain  alive.  To  me,  with  respect  to 
the  books,  the  same  effect  would  be  brought  about  by  m}-  death.  Here, 
said  I,  are  100,000  books,  the  worst  of  them  capable  of  giving  me  some 
pleasure  and  instruction,  and  before  I  can  have  time  to  extract  the  hone}'' 
from  one-twentieth  of  this  hive,  in  all  likelihood  I  shall  be  summoned 
awa5^ 

' '  Now  I  have  been  told  by  an  eminent  English  author,  that  with  respect 
to  one  single  work,  viz,  the  History  of  Thuanus,  a  calculation  has  been 
made  bj^  a  Portuguese  monk,  which  showed  that  barely  to  read  over  the 
works,  and  allowing  no  time  for  reflection,  would  require  three  years 
labor  at  the  rate  of,  I  think,  three  hours  a  da3\  Further,  I  had  myself 
ascertained  that  to  read  a  duodecimo  volume  in  prose  of  400  pages,  all 
skipping  being  barred,  and  the  rapid  reading  which  belongs  to  the  vulgar 
interest  of  a  novel,  was  a  very  sufficient  work  for  one  day.  Consequentl)- 
365  per  annum,  that  is  with  a  very  small  allowance  for  the  claims  of 
life  on  one's  own  account  and  on  that  of  one's  friends,  1,000  for  every 
triennium,  that  is  10,000  in  thirty  years,  will  be  as  much  as  a  man  who 
lives  for  that  only  can  hope  to  accomplish.  From  the  age  of  20  to  80, 
the  utmost  he  could  hope  to  travel  through  would  be  20.000  volumes,  a 
number  not,  perhaps,  above  5  per  cent  of  what  the  mere  current  liter- 
ature of  Europe  would  accumulate  in  that  period  of  years." 

Now,  supposing  for  a  moment  that  there  were  no  other  use  to  be  made 
of  books  but  the  reading  of  them  through  at  so  man}-  pages  the  hour, 
one  Vv'ould  think  it  might  have  occurred  to  this  writer  that  there  are 


THE   librarian's    RErORT,   1848.  477 

among  the  frequenters  of  a  large  librar}-  a  great  variety  of  men,  with  a 
wide  diversity  of  interests,  tastes,  and  pursuits;  that  though  each  might 
not  be  able  to  read  through  more  than  2,000  books — one-tenth  of  the 
supposed  number — still  50  men,  whose  reading  was  in  different  directions, 
might  call  for  100,000. 

But  apart  from  this  consideration  and  above  it  is  another  of  far  more 
importance  to  the  scholar.  It  is  that  this  view  of  the  use  to  be  made  of 
a  large  collection  of  books  is  founded  upon  an  utter  misapprehension  of 
the  relation  of  books  and  libraries  to  learning. 

There  are  three  uses  to  be  made  of  books  bj-  those  who  understand 
their  value. 

The  first  is  for  reading.  This,  paradoxical  as  the  assertion  may  sound, 
is  the  least  important  of  their  uses.  By  reading,  I  mean  cursory-  perusal, 
such  as  the  writer  above  quoted  describes.  Reading  as  a  pastime,  read- 
ing for  the  acquiring  of  general  information,  reading  as  a  means  of  refin- 
ing and  cultivating  the  tastes  is,  indeed,  indispensable  to  every  well- 
educated  man.  And  the  means  of  such  reading  in  this  country-  are 
largely  supplied  by  our  circulating  libraries,  athenaeums,  book  auctions, 
and  cheap  publications.  But  the  scholar  has  need  of  books  for  other 
and  higher  purposes. 

A  second  important  use  of  books  is  for  study.  By  stud}-,  I  mean  that 
\'igorous  mental  application  which  is  necessary  in  order  to  fully  com- 
prehend, weigh,  analyze,  and  appropriate  the  thoughts,  facts,  and  argu- 
ments of  an  author.  It  is  stud}^  which  disciplines  the  mind,  which  trains 
the  intellect  for  the  rapid  accumulation  and  appropriate  use  of  knowl- 
edge. It  is  study  which  gives  education,  which  develops  the  faculties. 
But  it  is  evident  that  for  study  one  needs  even  fewer  books,  if  they  be 
rightly  chosen,  than  for  reading. 

The  third  use  to  be  made  of  books  is  for  reference. 

Ever>'  man  has  occasion  to  refer  to  a  dictionary  or  an  encyclopedia. 
Yet  who  ever  undertakes  to  read  one  through?  Everyone  accustomed 
to  composition  sometimes  has  occasion  to  trace  the  history  and  meaning 
of  a  word.  "There  are  cases,"  says  Coleridge,  "  in  which  more  knowl- 
edge of  more  value  may  be  conveyed  by  the  history  of  a  word  than  the 
historj'  of  a  campaign."  But  to  learn  the  historj-  or  usage  of  a  single 
word  we  may  be  compelled  to  look  into  five,  twenty,  or  fifty  dictionaries 
in  different  languages. 

Now,  the  use  of  books  by  scholars  is  in  general  analogous  to  the  use  of 
a  dictionary  by  an)^  intelligent  man.  There  are  some  sciences  which 
seem  to  require  less  the  aid  of  libraries  than  others.  It  may  even  be  true 
that  some  important  discoveries  have  been  the  result  of  mere  accident. 
But  such  is  not  the  general  rule.  The  progress  of  science  is  not  fortui- 
tous. Nature  does  not  often  di.sclose  her  treasures  upon  a  blundering 
invitation.  She  must  be  diligently  sought.  He  who  would  make  valu- 
able discoveries  must,  as  a  general  thing,  prepare  himself  by  a  thorough 


478  PLANS   FOR  A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

acquaintance  with  the  present  condition  and  tendencies  of  the  science 
which  he  cultivates. 

He  must  do  more,  much  more.  "Of  every  branch  of  the  two  great 
subdivisions  of  human  learning"  (viz,  science  and  literature),  says  au 
able  writer,  "  its  history  is  a  constituent  part,  absolutely  necessary  to  all 
who  would  be  competent  to  form  just  opinions  on  its  present  state. ' '  He 
must  know  the  past  in  order  to  appreciate  the  present,  and  in  order  to 
help  shape  the  future.  He  must  not  only  be  able  to  place  himself  on  the 
line  of  demarcation  between  the  unknown  and  the  known,  but  if  he 
would  penetrate  the  darkness  of  the  former,  he  must  have  gained  his 
direction  by  a  careful  tracing  out  of  the  analogies  of  the  latter.  Conse- 
quently he  must  give  himself  to  long-continued,  patient,  laborious  study 
of  the  histor}^  of  science. 

Moreover  it  is  not  only  necessary  to  study  that  science  which  one 
wishes  to  enlarge  b}'  his  discoveries;  he  must  be  familiar  with  the  sub- 
jects which  are  allied  to  it.  But  where  can  we  find  the  limits  of  any 
science?  All  knowledge  is  bound  together  by  an  indissoluble,  though 
sometimes  an  invisible  bond.  He  who  is  versed  in  but  one  department 
of  science,  and  is  entirely  ignorant  of  others,  can  not  be  said  to  be  thor- 
oughly acquainted  with  any.  In  the  words  of  the  writer  already  quoted, 
"  If  the  books  could  be  arranged  in  order  of  relevancy,  with  respect,  say, 
to  natural  science,  from  the  one  which  is  most  essential  to  it  down  to  the 
one  which  is  least  essential  to  it,  there  would  be  no  percei^tible  break 
anywhere,  no  point  at  which  natural  hivStory  ends  and  other  knowledge 
begins. ' '  What,  then,  must  he  who  would  devote  himself  to  the  enlarge- 
ment of  one  department  of  knowledge  wait  ere  he  commences  till  he  has 
mastered  all?  By  no  means;  such  is  not  the  inference.  The  legitimate 
conclusion  from  the  argument  is  that  no  thorough  student  in  any  one 
department  of  knowledge  can  safely  say  that  he  may  not  need  10,000  or 
even  50,000  books,  and  many  of  them  of  a  character  at  first  sight  most 
remote  from  his  path,  not  indeed  for  the  purpose  of  reading  or  of  study- 
ing them,  but  in  order  to  settle,  by  momentary  references,  questions 
which  may  arise,  the  settling  of  which  may  be  of  the  greatest  importance 
to  his  progress. 

If  this  be  true  with  respect  to  those  sciences  where  there  is  the  least 
apparent  want  of  books,  much  more  so  is  it  of  those  whose  deductions 
are  drawn  from  researches  among  the  records  of  the  past.  The  demands 
of  the  statesman,  the  jurist,  the  political  economist,  the  historian,  can 
not  be  met  without  furnishing  the  materials  for  the  widest  investigation, 
nor  always,  indeed,  those  of  the  novelist  or  the  poet.  I  have  sometimes 
heard  it  said  that  the  knowledge  of  the  middle  ages  to  be  gained  from 
one  of  the  novels  of  Sir  Walter  Scott  is  far  more  valuable  than  that  to  be 
acquired  from  the  perusal  of  a  library  of  dusty  tomes.  But  who  that 
has  ever  lived  was  a  more  constant  delver  amidst  the  dusty  lore  of  the 
past,  in  old  libraries,  among  worm-eaten   books,   than    the   illustrious 


THE   librarian's   REPORT,  1848.  479 

author  of  these  volumes.  He  could  not  otherwise  have  produced  them. 
Without  the  large  libraries  we  could  not  have  had  the  enchanting 
romance. 

If  it  be  asked  whether  the  libraries  which  we  already  possess  are  not 
sufficient  to  meet  this  demand,  we  reply,  in  the  first  place,  that  the  large 
libraries  of  Europe,  containing  from  200,000  to  800,000  volumes,  some 
of  them  selected  with  great  care,  have  not  been  found  large  enough  to 
meet  the  wants  of  her  scholars,  and  we  may  not  allow  that  our  country- 
men are  less  fond  of  learning,  less  thorough  and  profound  in  their 
investigations,  when  they  have  the  means  of  pursuing  them,  than  their 
transatlantic  brethren. 

It  may,  however,  justly  be  supposed  that  the  number  of  volumes  is  a 
ver>'  inadequate  criterion  of  the  value  of  a  library;  that  a  judicious 
selection  may  do  much  to  compensate  for  numerical  inferiority,  and, 
consequently,  that  our  libraries,  although  smaller,  may  be  more  useful 
to  learning  than  the  larger  collections  of  Europe.  This  may  be  suffi- 
ciently answ^ered  by  applying  another  and  the  most  satisfactory  method 
of  testing  the  real  value  of  our  libraries,  which  is  to  take  some  Avorks  of 
acknowledged  learning  and  importance  and  inquire  what  books  were 
necessary  for  their  composition,  and  how  mau)^  of  them  our  public 
libraries  can  furnish?  This  process,  it  will  be  seen,  is  a  tedious  one.  I 
have,  however,  pursued  it  in  reference  to  a  considerable  number  of 
books  on  a  variety  of  subjects.  Some  of  the  results  thus  obtained  may 
be  stated  in  a  few  words,  and  they  are  fair  specimens  of  all  the  others. 

In  Mr.  Wheaton's  History  of  international  law — a  production  which 
reflects  great  credit  upon  American  talent  and  scholarship,  and  which 
procured  for  its  lamented  author  the  honor  of  election  to  the  French 
Institute — 139  works  are  referred  to  in  the  notes.  A  much  larger 
number  were,  of  course,  consulted,  many  of  which  are  mentioned  in  the 
body  of  the  work.  Thirty-nine  among  the  most  important  and  expensive 
of  those  which  are  formally  cited,  are  not  to  be  found  in  the  largest  law 
libraries  in  the  United  States.  More  than  one-half  of  the  remainder  are 
common  books,  to  be  found  in  any  well-selected  general  library  of  5,000 
volumes.  This  work  was  written  in  Europe.  It  could  not  have  been 
written  in  this  country  from  the  materials  contained  in  our  public 
libraries. 

If  we  take  a  book  of  a  different  kind,  demanding  for  its  composition  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  history  of  one  of  the  physical  sciences,  and, 
consequently,  requiring  the  as.sistance  of  authorities  less  acces.sible  and 
of  less  general  importance,  the  result  will  be  all  the  more  striking. 

In  the  finst  volume  of  Hoefer's  History  of  chemistr>',  251  works  are 
referred  to.  Of  these,  about  50  are  common  books,  to  be  found  in  almost 
any  library  of  5,000  volumes.  Of  the  remaining  191  I  can  not  find  75 
in  all  of  our  public  libraries. 

The  plan  of  our  institution  contemplates  the  publication  of  a  series  of 


4So  PLANS   FOR  A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

reports  on  the  condition  and  progress  of  various  branches  of  knowledge, 
prepared  by  collaborators  who  are  to  be  furnished  with  all  the  journals, 
domestic  and  foreign,  necessary  to  aid  them  in  their  labors.  Such 
reports,  if  properly  prepared,  will  be  very  useful.  We  need  merely 
refer,  for  illustration,  to  those  published  by  the  Swedish  Academy.  But 
the  preparation  of  them  will  require  the  purchase  of  a  great  number  of 
books  which  are  not  at  present  to  be  found  in  our  public  libraries.  This 
will  be  made  manifest  by  a  few  facts.  Of  38  publications,  mostly  period- 
ical, referred  to  in  a  late  report  of  Berzelius  on  the  progress  of  chemistry, 
I  can  find  but  13  in  our  public  libraries. 

Mr.  J-  R.  Bartlett  informs  me  that  of  204  works  which  he  refers  to 
in  his  report  on  the  progress  of  ethuolog}- ,  129  are  not  to  be  found  in  the 
public  libraries  of  New  York,  nor  in  au}^  others  probabh^  in  the  United 
States.  The  cost  of  the  books  which,  in  order  to  prepare  his  work,  he 
had  to  procure  at  his  own  expense  was  $1,000.  And  yet  this  report  is 
only  a  pamphlet  of  151  pages. 

From  these  facts  it  is  manifest  that  there  is  no  exaggeration  in  the 
language  of  one  of  the  members  of  our  Board  of  Regents  from  South 
Carolina,  who,  in  a  report  to  the  Senate  in  1836,  stated  that  "our  whole 
body  of  literature,  if  collected  in  one  place,  would  not  afford  the  means 
of  investigating  one  point  of  science  or  literature  through  all,  or  even  a 
considerable  portion,  of  what  has  been  written  on  it. ' '  "Here, ' '  he  adds, 
' '  where  the  foundations  of  government  repose  on  the  aggregate  intelli- 
gence of  the  citizens,  the  assistance  afforded  by  public  institutions  to  the 
exertions  of  intellect  is  but  one-tenth  of  that  within  the  reach  of  the 
mind  of  civilized  Europe." 

The  complaints  of  our  scholars  testify  to  our  deficienc}'.  Their  wants 
have  weighed  heavily  upon  them.  They  have  repressed  genius.  They 
have  condemned  to  oblivion  names  that  would  have  rivalled  the  bright- 
est in  the  histor}^  of  science  and  letters.  I  might  mention,  it  is  true, 
Americans  who  have  ranked  among  the  most  learned  of  the  world.  But 
they,  like  others  less  renowned,  have  had  sorrowful  experiences  of  the 
deficiency  of  which  we  complain.  They,  however,  in  most  instances, 
have,  from  their  own  private  wealth,  supplied  the  defects  of  public  pro- 
visions. Had  they  been  poor,  they  would  not  generally  have  been  the 
authors  they  were.  They  could  not  have  had  access  to  the  necessary 
books  had  they  not  possessed  the  wealth  for  buj'ing  them  or  for  cross- 
ing the  Atlantic  to  consult  them  where  they  were  already  accumulated. 
The  pages  of  our  literar}^  journals,  the  eloquent  speeches  elicited  in 
Congress  by  the  bills  to  establish  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  and  the 
united  voices  of  the  friends  of  good  letters  throughout  the  land  bear 
sad  and  unvarying  testimony  to  our  deficiencies. 

Now,  to  supply  these  wants,  or,  in  other  words,  to  place  American 
students  on  a  footing  with  those  of  the  most  favored  country  of  Europe, 
is  the  design  of  the  Smithsonian  library. 


THE   librarian's   REPORT,  1850.  481 

In  his  second  report,  presented  July  29,  1850,  Professor 
Jewett  returned  to  the  subject: 

Our  institutions  [said  he]  are  founded  upon  the  inteUigence  of  the 
many;  not  upon  the  power  or  wealth  or  learning  of  the  few.  The  diffu- 
sion of  knowledge  is  our  safeguard.  The  common  school,  the  village 
librar}-,  the  cheap  free  press  are  the  supports,  the  guaranties,  the  cham- 
pions of  liberty.  We  shall  never  be  found  pleading  for  anything  that 
interferes  with  these  or  abridges  their  usefulness.  It  is  rather  in  their 
interest  that  we  ask  for  the  means  of  the  highest  literary  acquisitions. 
The  stream  can  not  rise  higher  than  the  fountain;  if  the  source  be  not 
well  supplied,  the  river  fails.  Teachers  must  have  the  facilities  for 
learning;  and  as  the  standard  of  education  is  raised,  higher  attainments 
are  demanded  from  teachers — attainments  which  can  not  at  present 
be  made  in  this  country  by  the  aid  of  our  public  in.stitutions.  I  use  the 
word  "teachers"  in  its  widest  acceptation,  including  all  who  attempt  to 
instruct  the  public.  It  is  in  the  appliances  for  thorough  study,  for 
original  research,  for  independent  investigation,  that  we  are  deficient. 
If  a  studious  and  reflecting  American  desires  to  review  the  history  of  the 
world,  or  some  portion  of  it,  from  his  American  position,  unless  he  be 
able  to  expend  thousands  of  dollars  in  the  purchase  of  books,  he  must 
abandon  his  design,  for  he  can  not  procure  them  from  our  public 
collections. 

There  has  recently  appeared  from  the  American  press,  written  by  an 
American  scholar,  one  of  the  most  comprehensive,  profound,  and  ele- 
gant works  which  has  ever  been  published  in  the  department  of  literary 
history.  We  receive  it  with  patriotic  pride.  But  this  work  could  be 
written  in  this  country  only  by  one  who  was  able  to  procure  for  himself 
the  necessary  literary  apparatus.  The  library  of  the  author  contains 
some  13,000  volumes,  and  in  the  department  of  Spanish  literature  is  one 
of  the  richest  in  the  world.  Our  object  is  to  provide  that  every  man  in 
America,  though  he  be  poor,  whose  mind  kindles  with  a  great  theme, 
may  be  able  to  pursue  it  and  enrich  our  national  literature  with  the 
results  of  original  investigations.  It  is  sometimes  said  in  reply  that 
if  anyone  desires  books  not  already  to  be  found  he  may  order  them 
from  Europe  and  receive  them  in  six  weeks  or  two  months.  But  the 
scholar  may  be,  and  generally  is,  poor.  If  not,  he  can  not  from  the  outset 
foresee  the  extent  of  the  field  over  which  he  must  range,  the  .side  paths 
which  he  must  trace  out  in  order  to  settle  the  true  route;  he  will  thus 
be  subject  to  great  delay  in  ascertaining  and  collecting  his  materials. 
But  the  ordering  of  books  is  a  very  different  matter  from  what  is  gener- 
ally supposed.  If  the  lx)ok  be  a  new  one,  still  in  the  market,  it  may  be 
received  within  a  few  weeks;  but  if,  as  is  the  case  with  two-thirds  or 
perhaps  nine-tenths  of  the  books  which  may  be  needed,  it  be  an  old 
work,  and  only  to  be  found  at  long  intervals  and  by  diligent  search,  the 
23399—04 31 


482  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

case  is  very  different.  His  order  will  be  answered  only  by  the  phrase, 
"out  of  print."  He  may  order  again  and  receive  for  reply,  "can  not  be 
obtained."  This  will  be  his  experience  till  he  devotes  years  to  gather- 
ing his  materials,  or  till,  discouraged  by  his  ill  success,  he  abandons  his 
design  and  sinks  down  to  be  a  mere  copyist  and  compiler;  to  take  his 
opinions  at  secondhand,  from  perhaps  superficial  and  prejudiced  writers, 
the  only  ones  to  whom  he  can  gain  access.  We  are  thus,  as  a  nation, 
condemned  to  literary  dependence  if  not  imbecility. 

The  Government  and  the  educated  men  of  every  State  in  Europe 
have  felt  the  importance  of  having  at  least  one  library  in  each  country 
where  the  materials  for  thorough  scholarship  should  be  garnered  and 
opened  to  the  studious,  yet  no  nation  in  Europe  is  in  a  situation  so  much 
demanding  such  a  collection  as  ourselves.  If  Roscoe  could  not  obtain, 
as  has  been  stated,  in  England  the  books  which  he  wanted  for  writing 
the  historj^  of  Leo  X,  it  was  comparatively  easy  for  him  to  cross  the 
channel  and  consult  larger  collections  on  the  Continent;  but  for  our 
authors  a  voyage  of  several  thousand  miles  and  the  expense  of  a  resi- 
dence abroad  are  almost  insurmountable  barriers  to  literary  exertion. 

*  *  *  Books,  as  Voltaire  has  well  said,  rule  the  whole  civilized 
world.  But  so  rapid  has  been  of  late  years  the  multiplication  of  them 
that  few  scholars  indeed  can  procure,  by  their  own  private  resources,  all 
that  they  need  for  their  investigations.  Yet,  with  the  multiplication  of 
books,  has  increased  the  number  which  it  is  necessarj^  for  everyone  to 
consult  who  would  not  be  behind  the  age  in  his  learning.  Hence  public 
libraries  have  become  an  indispensable  requisite  to  the  attainment  of 
liberal  scholarship.' 

And  at  the  library  convention  in  New  York,  September 
16,  1853,  Professor  Jewett  said:  "A  great  central  library  is 
an  important  national  object;  as  necessary  to  secure  the  liter- 
ary independence  of  this  people  as  was  the  war  of  the  Revo- 
lution to  secure  its  political  independence.  It  is  an  object 
which,  besides  attracting  donations  and  bequests  from  the 
rich,  will  receive  appropriations  from  our  national  Treasury." 

In  these  views  Professor  Jewett  was  supported  b}"  students 
and  librarians  throughout  the  country.  Nortoii's  Literary 
Gazette  (February  15,  1852),  said:  "The  Smithsonian  library 
is  destined,  we  hope,  to  meet  that  great  want  of  American 
scholarship,  a  national  librar}'  for  reference  and  research." 
The  national  convention  of  librarians  and  bibliographers, 
which  met  in  New  York,  September  15-17,  1853 — 

'Smithsonian  Institution  report,  July  29,  1850,  pp.  40-42;  Thirty-first  Congress, 
first  session.  Senate  miscellaneous  documents,  No.  X2o. 


ENDORSED    BY   LIBR.\RY    CONVENTION.  483 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  convention  be  presented  to  the 
Board  of  Regents  and  officers  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  for  their 
steadj-  and  effective  efforts  for  the  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge 
among  men,  and  particularly  for  the  measures  which  they  have  adopted 
for  the  encouragement  and  promotion  of  the  public  libraries  of  our 
country,  and  we  have  great  pleasure  in  looking  to  that  Institution  as  the 
central  establishment  of  the  United  States  for  the  furtherance  of  all  such 
objects.     ^^     *     * 

Resolved,  That  the  establishment  of  a  great  central  librar\-  for  refer- 
ence and  research,  while  it  is  demanded  by  the  condition  of  the  United 
States  as  to  general  civilization  and  intellectual  advancement,  is  espe- 
cially interesting  to  this  convention  from  the  bearing  it  would  have 
upon  libraries  throughout  the  country. 

Resolved,  That  we  deem  such  an  establishment  as  being  eminently 
worthy  of  support  from  the  national  Treasury,  and  that  in  no  way  can 
the  Government  better  promote  the  progress  of  learning  through  the 
whole  countr>'  than  by  placing  a  central  national  library  under  the 
administration  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution.' 

And  George  Livermore,  in  the  North  American  Review  for 
July,  1850,  said: 

Alluding  to  our  attainments  in  literature  and  science  in  comparison 
with  those  of  other  nations  of  our  age,  Mr.  Justice  Story,  in  an  address 
before  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa  Society  at  Cambridge,  a  few  years  since, 
made  the  following  remarks: 

' '  We  have  no  reason  to  blush  for  what  we  have  been  or  what  we  are. 
But  we  shall  have  much  to  blush  for  if,  when  the  highest  attainments  of 
the  human  intellect  are  within  our  reach,  we  surrender  om-selves  to  an 
obstinate  indifference  or  shallow  mediocrity;  if,  in  our  literary  career,  v.-e 
are  content  to  rank  behind  the  meanest  principality  of  Europe.  Let  us 
not  waste  our  time  in  .seeking  for  apologies  for  our  ignorance  where  it 
exists  or  in  framing  excuses  to  conceal  it.  Let  our  short  reply  to  all  such 
suggestions  be,  like  the  answer  of  a  noble  youth  on  another  occasion,  that 
we  know  the  fact  and  are  every  day  getting  the  better  of  it." 

The  orator  then  ventures  to  mention  one  of  our  greatest  national  defi- 
ciencies and  .says:  "There  is  not,  perhaps,  a  single  libraiy  in  America 
sufficiently  copious  to  have  enabled  Gibbon  to  have  verified  the  authori- 
ties for  his  immortal  History  of  the  decline  and  fall  of  the  Roman 
Empire." 

Notwithstanding  his  prefatory  remarks  and  the  qualifying  terms  in 
which  he  stated  this  fact,  it  was  received  with  surprise  and  some  doubt 
by  a  large  portion  of  his  audience.  Nearly  all  his  hearers  thought  it  a 
bold  statement  to  be  made  so  near  to  the  va.st  bibliographical  treasures  of 

'Smithsonian  Institution  report,  Augu.st  i,  1854,  p.  29;  Thirty-third  Con},'re.'^s, 
first  session.  House  Miscellaneous  Document  No.  97. 


484  PLANS    FOR    A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

Harvard  College.  It  was  even  hinted  that  the  orator  had  been  probably 
seeking  in  vain  for  some  ancient  black-letter  law  book  from  the  press  of 
Richard  Pynson,  and  drawn  his  general  conclusions  from  his  particular 
disappointment.  But  had  the  distinguished  jurist  been  as  learned  in  bib- 
liothecal  as  in  legal  lore,  had  he  and  his  audience  been  as  thoroughly 
familiar  with  the  actual  condition  and  wants  of  our  public  libraries  as 
they  were  in  general  impressed  with  the  importance  of  strenuous  efforts 
on  the  part  of  men  of  literature  and  science  to  raise  our  relative  rank 
with  other  nations  in  these  respects,  he  would  have  presented  a  much 
stronger  case  without  danger  of  exciting  surprise  or  doubt.  It  would 
not  have  been  necessary  to  have  cited  so  distinguished  an  author  as  Gib- 
bon nor  so  elaborate  and  learned  a  work  as  his  matchless  history.  Our 
own  neighborhood  would  furnish  many  instances  where  research  has 
been  abandoned  in  despair  on  account  of  the  meagerness  of  materials  for 
pursuing  the  necessary  investigations.  We  do  not  hesitate  to  say  that 
not  one,  nor  all  the  libraries  in  this  country  combined,  would  furnish 
sufficient  materials  for  writing  a  complete  history  of  that  little  book  of 
three  or  four  score  pages  which  has  had  such  a  mighty  influence  in 
molding  the  character  and  creed  of  former  generations,  "The  New 
England  primer." 

With  respect  to  Gibbon,  it  might  have  been  said  with  equal  truth  that 
probably  not  all  the  libraries  in  Great  Britain,  and  perhaps  no  single 
library  in  the  world,  was  sufficiently  copious  to  have  supplied  him  with 
the  authorities  for  his  work.  According  to  his  own  published  statement 
he  was  obliged  to  collect  and  purchase  for  his  own  use  the  extensive  and 
valuable  works  which  form  the  basis  of  his  history.  So  in  our  own 
country,  such  writers  as  Irving,  Sparks,  Prescott,  and  Bancroft  have 
been  obliged  to  visit  Europe  to  collect  materials  for  their  histories,  or  at 
a  great  expense  to  import  the  works  which  ought  to  have  been  freely 
furnished  to  them  from  our  public  libraries.  It  was  only  by  visiting 
Spain  and  collecting  at  his  own  cost  one  of  the  best  libraries  of  Spanish 
literature  anywhere  to  be  found  that  Mr.  Ticknor  was  enabled  to  avail 
himself  of  the  materials  necessary  for  writing  his  invaluable  work.  If 
either  of  the  above-named  distinguished  authors  had  been  less  favored 
in  their  means  the  world  would  not  have  enjoyed  the  results  of  their 
studies.  Is  it  strange,  then,  that  our  country  has  not  produced  a  larger 
number  of  eminent  and  thorough  scholars?  The  pursuits  of  literature 
are  at  present  too  expensive  for  anj'  but  fortune's  favorites  to  engage  in 
them  with  success. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  name  a  subject  of  equal  importance  that  has 
heretofore  received  so  little  attention,  or  a  want  equally  pressing  which 
has  been  so  inadequately  supplied,  as  that  of  large  and  well-selected 
libraries.  We  would  not  be  understood  as  intimating  that  there  has 
been  a  designed  neglect  or  unwillingness  to  furnish  the  means  for  the 
highest  intellectual  culture  and  for  the  most  thorough  literary  and 
scientific  investigations.     On  the  contrary,  we  have  the  fullest  faith  that 


ENDORSED   BY   NORTH   AMERICAN  REVIEW.  485 

it  is  only  necessary  to  have  the  deficiencies  in  these  respects  made  known 
in  order  that  they  may  be  soon  supphed.  Indeed,  the  paramount 
importance  of  large,  well-furnished  libraries,  easily  accessible  to  students 
and  others,  has  never  been  denied.  The  reason  why  we  have  to  lament 
their  present  great  deficiencies  is  the  mistaken  notion  as  to  what  may 
properly  be  said  to  constitute  a  satisfactor>'  collection. 

We  suppose  that  the  opinion  pretty  extensively  prevails  that,  as  far 
as  this  country  and  Europe  are  concerned,  the  present  condition  of  these 
institutions  may  be  regarded  with  unalloyed  satisfaction.  We  often 
hear  the  libraries  of  Harvard,  Yale,  and  Brown  universities,  with  those 
in  the  cities  of  Boston,  New  York,  and  Philadelphia,  alluded  to  in 
terms  which  show  very  evidently  that,  in  the  estimate  of  the  public, 
there  is  no  cause  for  complaint  on  account  of  their  present  condition. 
According  to  the  common  belief,  these  larger  collections  contain  nearly 
every  word  worth  preserving  in  the  various  departments  of  literature 
and  science.  If  a  scholar  desires  thoroughly  to  investigate  any  subject, 
he  has  only  to  resort  thither  to  find  all  that  has  ever  been  published  by 
his  predecessors  in  the  same  departments,  and  all  that  is  necessary  to 
aid  him  in  his  pursuits.  Certainly  these  large  collections — from  30,000 
to  60,000  volumes — must  contain  all  that  any  scholar  can  ever  need. 
But  if,  perchance,  a  case  should  arise  in  which  a  rare  work  is  needed  for 
reference,  and  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  country,  a  visit  to  the  British 
Museum,  where  there  are  nearly  half  a  minion  of  volumes,  or  to  the 
national  library  at  Paris,  with  twice  that  number,  will  supply  all 
deficiencies. 

A  single  fact,  selected  from  a  multitude  of  a  similar  character  which 
have  come  to  our  knowledge,  will  be  sufiicient  to  show  the  error  of  such 
a  conclusion.  Within  a  few  months  an  English  writer  has  published 
the  following  statement  in  the  London  Athenceiim:  "In  the  progress 
of  a  late  historical  inquiry  I  covered  a  .sheet  of  paper  with  notes  and 
questions  that  could  be  solved  only  by  reference  to  contemporary  tracts 
and  pamphlets.  On  visiting  the  Mu.seum  it  was  found  that  not  §  per  ceiit 
of  what  I  wanted  were  contained  in  that  great  national  collection." 
Now,  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  the  library  of  the  British  Museum 
contains  one  of  the  most  complete  collections  of  historical  works  to  be 
found  in  any  country,  and  it  is  known  to  be  particularly  rich  in  books 
and  pamphlets  relative  to  the  history  of  Great  Britain.  Yet  the  writer 
whom  we  have  quoted  finds  cause  to  regret  its  great  incompleteness  in 
that  department.  We  presume  a  similar,  perhaps  a  greater,  deficiency 
would  be  found  in  nearly  every  other  department.  Nor  is  this  the  fault 
of  those  to  whom  the  duty  of  purchasing  the  books  is  intmsted.  Consid- 
ering the  multiplicity  and  variety  of  objects  that  claim  their  attention, 
and  the  inadequate  means  afforded  them,  it  is  wonderful  that  .so  much 
has  been  accompli.shed  in  .supplying  the  wants  of  different  clas.ses  of 
readers  and  .scholars. 


486  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL  LIBRARY. 

The  popular  error  that  only  the  best  books  and  ou  the  most  important 
subjects  are  worth  preserving  has  done  much  to  retard  the  establishment 
and  growth  of  large  libraries  in  this  country.  When  a  person  unaccus- 
tomed to  the  use  or  sight  of  many  books  enters  for  the  first  time  a  large 
library,  he  is  very  likel}'  to  utter  an  exclamation  of  astonishment  at  the 
vastness — the  unnecessar}-  extent — of  the  collection,  and  to  make  the 
wondering  inquiry  whether  anybody  is  expected  to  read  all  the  volumes, 
as  if  all  books  that  are  worth  preserving  are  therefore  to  be  read  through! 
It  has  been  well  said  that  a  national  library  should  contain  all  those 
works  which  are  too  costly,  too  voluminous,  or  of  too  little  value  in  the 
common  estimation  to  be  found  elsewhere,  down  even  to  the  smallest 
tracts.  An  old  almanac  or  a  forgotten  pamphlet  has  sometimes  enabled 
the  historian  to  verify  or  correct  some  important  point  which  would 
otherwise  have  remained  in  dispute.' 

Secretary  Henry  and  his  followers,  however,  felt  that  there 
could  be  a  bibliographical  bureau  at  the  Institution  without 
a  library.     In  his  report  for  1851  he  said: 

With  reference  to  the  library,  the  idea  ought  never  be  entertained  that 
the  portion  of  the  limited  income  of  the  Smithsonian  fund  which  can  be 
devoted  to  the  purchase  of  books  will  ever  be  suflScient  to  meet  the  wants 
of  the  American  scholar.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  the  duty  of  this  Insti- 
tution to  increase  those  wants  by  pointing  out  new  fields  for  exploration, 
and  by  stimulating  other  researches  than  those  which  are  now  cultivated. 
It  is  a  part  of  that  duty  to  make  the  value  of  libraries  more  generally 
known  and  their  wants  in  this  country  more  generally  felt;  to  show  in 
what  branches  of  knowledge  our  libraries  are  most  deficient;  to  point 
out  the  means  by  which  those  deficiencies  can  be  supplied;  to  instruct 
the  public  in  the  best  methods  of  procuring,  arranging,  cataloguing,  and 
preserving  books;  to  give  information  as  to  the  best  form  and  construc- 
tion of  library  buildings;  in  short,  to  do  all  which  was  originally  intended 
in  the  plan  of  rendering  the  Institution  a  center  of  bibliographical  knowl- 
edge, to  which  the  American  scholar  can  refer  for  all  information  rela- 
tive to  books  in  general,  and  particularly  to  those  in  our  own  country. 
The  libraries  of  the  countrj^  must  be  supplied  by  the  country  itself;  by 
the  General  Government;  by  the  State  governments;  by  cities,  towns, 
and  villages,  and  by  wealthy  and  liberal  individuals.  It  is  to  be  hoped 
that  in  the  restoration  of  the  Library  of  Congress  a  foundation  will  be 
laid  for  a  collection  of  books  worthy  of  a  Government  whose  perpetuitj^ 
principally  depends  on  the  intelligence  of  the  people. 

The  proper  management  of  books  and  general  instruction  as  to  their 
use  are  matters  perhaps  of  more  importance  than  their  accumulation  in 
any  one  place.     It  is  estimated  that  about  twenty  thousand  volumes, 

^ North  American  Review,  July,  1S50,  71:  185-189. 


RUPTURE   BETWEEN   HENRY   AND  JEWETT.  487 

includiug  pamphlets,  purporting  to  be  additions  to  the  sums  of  human 
knowledge,  are  published  aniuially;  and  unless  this  mass  be  properly 
arranged,  and  the  means  furnished  bj'  which  its  contents  may  be  ascer- 
tained, literature  and  science  will  be  overwhelmed  by  their  own  unwieldy 
bulk.  The  pile  will  begin  to  totter  under  its  own  weight,  and  all  the 
additions  we  may  heap  upon  it  will  tend  to  add  to  the  extension  of  the 
base  without  increasing  the  elevation  and  dignity  of  the  edifice. 

One  of  the  most  important  means  of  facilitating  the  use  of  libraries, 
particularly  with  reference  to  science,  is  well  digested  indexes  of  sub- 
jects, not  merelj'  referring  to  volumes  of  books,  but  to  memoirs,  papers, 
and  parts  of  scientific  transactions  and  systematic  works.  As  an  example 
of  this,  I  would  refer  to  the  admirably  arranged  and  valuable  index  to 
natural  philosophy  and  the  mechanical  arts  by  Doctor  Young.  ' '  If  my 
library  were  on  fire,"  said  a  celebrated  author,  "and  I  could  save  but  one 
scientific  book,  it  would  be  Doctor  Young's  index."  This  work  comes 
down  to  1 807 ,  and  I  know  of  no  richer  gift  which  could  be  bestowed  upon 
the  science  of  our  own  day  than  the  continuation  of  this  index  to  the  pres- 
ent time.  Every  one  who  is  desirous  of  enlarging  the  bounds  of  human 
knowledge  should,  in  justice  to  himself,  as  well  as  to  the  public,  be 
acquainted  with  what  has  previously  been  done  in  the  same  line,  and 
this  he  will  only  be  enabled  to  accomplish  b}'  the  use  of  indexes  of  the 
kind  above  mentioned.' 

In  the  spring  of  1854  matters  reached  a  crisis.  In  April, 
Librarian  Jewett  was  called  npon  b}''  a  special  committee  of 
the  Board  of  Regents,  appointed  to  report  whether  it  was 
desirable  to  make  anj-  changes  in  the  distribution  of  the 
income  of  the  Institution,  to  submit  in  writing,  through  the 
Secretary,  any  statements  which  he  might  wish  to  make.  In 
reply  he  said  in  criticism  of  the  policy  of  the  Institution 
regarding  the  Library: 

^  M<  ;i;  The  active  operations  have  procured  books  for  the  Library, 
but  not  one  quarter  of  what  the  money  expended  on  them  would  have 
procured  by  direct  purchase. 

I  will  not  here  take  into  account  the  con.sideration  that  undoubtedly 
many  of  these  books  received  would  have  been  sent  to  a  large  librar)-  of 
this  kind  as  donations,  nor  the  fact  that  the  gifts  which  have  produced 
these  returns  are  not  solely  of  the  publications  of  the  Institution,  but  of 
a  large  number  of  other  l)Ooks  gratuitously  furni.shed  to  the  In.stitution 
for  the  purpose  of  distribution. 


'Sixth   annual    report   of   the   Smithsonian    Institution,  August  20,   1852,  p. 
Thirty -second  Congress,  first  session,  Senate  miscellaneous  document  No.  1 ->8. 


488  PLANS   FOR  A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

The  library  has  not  been  favored  with  complete  sets  of  the  transac- 
tions of  many  of  the  oldest  societies  in  exchange,  nor  indeed  of  any  of 
the  oldest.  The  full  sets  of  the  transactions  of  many  of  the  oldest  socie- 
ties which  we  possess — as  those  of  the  Royal  Society,  the  French  Insti- 
tute, the  Royal  Swedish  Academy,  etc. — have  been  procured  by  purchase, 
excepting  the  late  volumes  of  them. 

******* 

The  Secretary  says  it  must  never  be  supposed  that  a  great  librar}'  can 
be  collected  with  the  part  of  the  income  that  will  come  to  the  library 
under  the  compromise. 

But  are  we  not  bound  in  good  faith  to  try?  Are  we  not  bound  to 
make  the  best  use,  and  to  allow  the  best  use  in  every  way  to  be  made  of 
what  does,  without  doubt,  under  the  compromise,  belong  to  the  library 
for  this  purpose.  If  we  say  to  the  world  that  we  never  expected  to  form 
a  librar}',  and  particularly  if  we  argue  against  a  library,  and  more 
particularly  still,  if  we  say  we  would  not  take  a  library  of  100,000 
volumes  as  a  gift,  if  we  mUvSt  provide  for  it  room  and  custody,  we  can 
not,  of  course,  expect  to  get  a  library  with  the  part  of  the  fund  under 
the  compromise  devoted  to  that  purpose,  nor  could  we  with  the  whole 
income. 

It  has  never  been  supposed  that  by  direct  purchases  with  this  part  of 
the  fund  we  can  form  the  library  which  is  wanted  in  this  country.  But, 
by  showing  a  wish  for  such  a  collection,  a  liberal  and  enlightened  appre- 
ciation of  it,  a  sympathy  with  those  who  say  they  want  it,  rather  than 
with  those  who  do  not  feel  the  need  of  it,  if  we  buy  judiciously  with  the 
means  which,  under  the  compromise,  we  have,  and  accept  the  means 
that  are  offered  to  us,  we  shall  with  astonishing  rapidity  collect  a  mag- 
nificent library  here.  Such  a  library,  when  fairly  started  in  such  a 
position,  is  sure  to  increase  rapidly.  There  is  now  a  library  of  25,000 
volumes,  the  best  in  the  world  in  its  speciality,  and  that  speciality  the 
most  important  of  all  to  this  country,  which  could  be  had  on  terms 
entirely  within  our  means.  I  met,  the  last  week,  a  gentleman  who  had 
a  special  collection  of  autograph  letters,  which  might  well  be  coveted  by 
any  librarj'  in  the  world,  and  which  it  would  cost  next  to  nothing  to 
keep  for  centuries,  and  be  worth  thousands  of  dollars.  He  stated  that 
he  had  made  his  will,  and  given  this  collection  to  Harvard  University; 
that  he  had  desired  to  give  it  to  the  Smithonian  Institution,  but  his 
intentions  had  been  repelled  by  remarks  such  as  I  have  alluded  to. 

With  the  whole  or  the  half  of  the  available  income  the  main  hope 
of  the  library  would  be  on  public  and  private  liberality.  And  such 
a  hope  was  never  known  to  be  deceived,  and  will  not  here  be  deceived 
if  we  are  true  to  ourselves  and  make  an  honest  and  diligent  use  of  our 
advantages.' 

'  ThirLy-thinl  Congress,  second  session,  House  report  No.  141,  pp.  129-130,  131,  136. 


REPORT   OF   COMMITTEE,  MAY    20,  1 854.  489 

These  statements  seem  to  have  been  without  effect  upon 
the  majorit}^  of  the  committee,  for  on  the  20th  of  May  thej' 
reported  upon  the  library  as  follows: 

The  ' '  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge  among  men  ' '  are  the  great 
purposes  of  this  munificent  trust.  To  increase  knowledge  implies 
research  or  new  and  active  investigation  in  some  one  or  more  of  the 
departments  of  learning.  To  diffuse  knowledge  among  men  implies 
active  measures  for  its  distribution  so  far  as  may  be  among  mankind. 

Neither  of  these  purposes  could  be  accomplished  or  materially  advanced 
by  the  accumulation  of  a  great  library  at  the  city  of  Washington.  This 
would  be  to  gather  within  the  walls  of  a  building  here  those  fruits  of 
learning  which  had  been  reaped  elsewhere.  It  would  be  the  hiving  of 
knowledge,  not  its  increase  and  diffusion.  It  would  be  the  collection  of 
what  philosophical  inquirers,  men  of  research,  of  observation,  and  of 
original  thought  had  ascertained,  conceived,  or  invented,  and  already 
published  to  the  world.  But  it  would  not  of  itself  add  to  the  sum  of 
human  knowledge,  it  would  not  increase  the  stores  of  learning,  but  only 
bring  them  together.  It  would  develop  no  new  truths,  reveal  no  hidden 
laws  of  nature,  but  only  contain  the  record  of  what  might  be  already 
known,  so  that  in  no  proper  sense  could  it  be  said  to  increase  knowledge. 
Neither  would  it  diffuse  knowledge  except  within  a  limited  sphere. 
The  Institution  would  necessarily  be  local,  for  although  it  might  aid  the 
few  men  of  research  residing  in  Washington,  and  such  students  and 
investigators  as  occasionally  visited  the  city,  it  would  fail  to  accomplish 
the  more  extensive  purpose  of  the  testator  and  of  the  law,  since  it  could 
not  be  expected  to  draw  hither  the  great  body  of  such  men.  These  nmst 
always  be  scattered  over  the  country  engaged  in  pursuits  which  require 
their  residence  elsewhere,  and  with  only  occasional  opportunities  of  aid- 
ing their  inquiries  by  resort  to  the  library  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution. 
While,  therefore,  a  well-selected  library  of  valuable  books  pertaining  to 
all  departments  of  learning  may  well  be  one  of  the  means  employed  by 
the  Institution,  its  purpose  requires  other  instrumentalities  by  which 
knowledge  may  be  increased  and  diffused  among  men.  We  must  never 
forget  that  both  the  will  of  Smithson  and  the  act  of  Congress  recognize 
that,  as  a  nation  is  appointed  the  great  dispenser  of  the  fruits  of  his 
munificence,  so  these  benefits  are  to  be  tmivcrsal,  and  the  recipients  to 
be  men  everywhere  and  in  all  time. 

If  the  language  of  the  will  had  been  ' '  to  increase  and  diffuse  knowl- 
edge among  the  people  of  the  United  States,''  a  library  would  be  but  a 
feeble  and  imperfect  instrument  as  an  active  agent  even  for  that  limited 
purpose.  The  accumulation  of  books  in  the  ])olitical  center  of  a  great 
country,  or  even  in  the  center  of  population  of  a  numerous  people, 
would  no  doubt  gratify  the  pride  of  the  nation  and  be  attendeil  with 
some  profitable  results.     But  such  a  librarv  would  not  insure   mental 


490  PLANvS    FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

activity  to  inquirers  who  should  hve  remote  from  its  locality,  and  its 
relation  to  all  increase  of  knowledge  would  be  merel}-  incidental.  It 
would  have  no  effective  operation  in  the  thirty-one  States  which  con- 
stitute the  nation  or  people  of  the  Union,  and  instead  of  being  diffusive 
in  its  nature  would  be  centralizing  in  its  influence  and  passive  in  its 
character. 

It  is  not  believed  to  be  advisable  to  accumulate  in  the  Smithsonian 
Institution  great  masses  of  books,  without  reference  to  their  peculiar 
character  and  value.  What  we  want,  and  what  the  act  of  Congress 
contemplates,  is  not  a  collection  of  everything  which  learned  dullness 
and  literary  foil}'  as  well  as  real  wisdom  and  sound  science  have  put 
into  print — a  vast  and  unv/ieldy  repertor}',  in  which  the  trash  as  well  as 
the  precious  may  be  found — but  a  library  of  valuable  books  pertaining 
to  all  departments  of  human  knowledge.  The  exchanges  will  gradually 
furnish  us  with  much  that  answers  to  this  description,  and  moderate 
appropriations  will  supply,  quite  as  rapidly  as  necessary,  whatever  besides 
may  be  requisite  to  constitute  a  valuable  library  of  research  in  all  depart- 
ments of  human  knowledge.' 

The  committee  which  presented  this  report  consisted  of 
Hon.  J.  A.  Pearce,  Hon.  J.  M.  Mason,  Hon.  Richard  Rush, 
Hon.  John  W.  Maury,  Gen.  J.  G.  Totten,  Prof.  A.  D.  Bache, 
and  Hon.  J.  Meacham. 

The  last  named  did  not,  however,  concur  in  the  above 
report,  but  presented  a  minority  report,  in  which  he  rehearsed 
the  history  of  the  Smithsonian  fund  at  length.  Referring  to 
Mr.  Choate,  the  author  of  the  library  plan,  he  said: 

Mr.  Choate  wished  for  twenty-five  years  to  devote  $20,000  a  5'ear  to 
the  library.  In  that  time  a  magnificent  library  would  be  collected.  A 
few  years  of  the  interest  devoted  to  the  accumulation  of  a  subsidiary 
fund  would  provide  for  its  perpetual  support.  The  great  object  would 
then  be  so  far  accomplished  that  it  would  take  care  of  itself,  or  might 
safely  be  intrusted  to  the  liberality  of  the  public;  and  the  whole  fund 
would  be  left  unimpaired,  yielding  its  income  forever  for  new  and  ever 
varying  applications.  He  showed  that  a  large  library  was  the  particular 
instrumentality  which  was  first  and  most  needed  in  this  country  for  the 
increase  of  knowledge;  that  it  would  be  at  tne  same  time  preeminently 
diiTusive;  that  it  would  be  consulted  for  all  branches  of  knowledge;  that 
it  was  less  liable  to  abuse  than  almost  any  other  mode  of  applying  the 
fund;  that  neither  the  Library  of  Congress  nor  any  other  library  of  the 
country  could  ever  meet  the  demand;  that  in  no  other  way,  .so  far  as 
could  be  seen,  could  this  greatest  of  all  the  wants  of  American  .science  and 

'  Smithsouian  report,  August  i,  1S54,  pp.  83-S4,  91. 


MEACHAM   SUPPORTS   THE   LIBRARY.  49 1 

leaniing  be  met,  and  that,  while  it  was  met  in  this  way,  there  would  be 
not  only  real  progress  toward  the  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge,  but 
also  %'isible  and  palpable  progress.  The  public  could  see  all  the  while 
where  the  money  went,  and  could  know  that  its  representative  in  property 
was  ever  in  possession  of  the  Institution.' 

Continuing-,  ]\Ir.  jMeacham  said: 

It  will  never  be  possible  to  convince  a  large  number  of  intelligent  and 
educated  men  that  a  librar}'  is  not  an  in.stitution  for  the  increase  and 
diffusion  of  knowledge;  that  it  is  the  mere  ''hiving''  of  knowledge  for 
the  gratification  of  national  pride,  or  even  for  ''  some  profitable  results/' 

They  would  see  every  civilized  and  enlightened  nation  of  the  face  of 
the  earth  using  liberally  the  public  means  for  the  purpose  of  forming 
such  institutions.  They  would  find  the  wisest  statesmen,  the  most 
learned  scholars  of  all  classes,  uniting  in  support  of  public  libraries. 
They  would  hear  regrets,  after  these  libraries  had  reached  a  quarter  or  a 
half  a  million  of  volumes,  that  they  were  not  large  enough  to  meet  the 
wants  of  investigators.  The}'  would  see  that  these  libraries  in  London, 
Paris,  Berlin,  Copenhagen,  Gottingen,  and  other  cities  were  great  cen- 
ters of  acti\nty  in  the  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge.  Entering 
the  reading  room  of  the  British  Museum,  among  its  200  or  300  daily 
readers  they  would  find  earnest  investigators,  real  promoters  of  knowl- 
edge— men  who  bring  out  of  their  treasures  things  new  as  well  as  things 
old,  who  increase  as  well  as  diffuse  knowledge,  and  who  have  gone 
thither  for  help  in  their  work.  They  would  there,  and  in  other  great 
storehouses  of  knowledge,  find  scholars  from  all  parts  of  the  world  pur- 
suing their  various  courses  of  investigation. 

But  it  is  not  necessary  to  rest  in  faith  upon  the  settled  conviction  of 
ever>'  civilized  people.  It  is  easy  to  demonstrate  that  this  concurrent 
testimony  of  all  the  learned  rests  upon  solid  grounds,  and  to  show  Iiow 
it  is  that  libraries  are  for  the  increase  of  knowledge. 

To  increase  knowledge  in  any  department  one  must  have  possessed 
himself  of  the  knowledge  extant  in  that  department.  It  is  possible  that 
a  man  not  knowing  all  that  had  been  discovered  in  the  direction  of  his 
researches  may  yet  discover  something  not  known;  some  steps  he  may 
overleap.  But  such  is  a  rare  exception  to  a  general  rule.  Almost  uni- 
versally what  is  known  to  the  utmost  limit  is  used  as  the  stepping- 
stone  to  what  is  beyond.  Knowledge  grows  by  small  accretions.  ICach 
addition  is  procured  at  the  expense  of  toil  and  time.  It  is  small,  per- 
haps; but  no  man  hereafter  can  overlook  it,  as  he  presses  on  for  greater 
advancement  in  that  direction.  It  is  not  indeed  said  that  he  who  would 
increase  knowledge  in  one  department  nuist  know  all  that  is  knowable 
in  all  departments,  but  only  that  he  must  know  all  that  is  known  in  the 
direction  of  his  researches.     There  are  many  directions  in  which  knowl- 

' Smithsonian  report,  August  i,  1854,  p.  25S. 


492  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

edge  is  ever  expanding.  It  may  be  but  a  small  thing  to  a  man  whose 
researches  are  restricted  to  one  particular  department  (say  electricity) 
to  learn  all  that  is  known  on  that  subject.  All  the  books  needed  may  be 
but  a  few  volumes  to  prepare  him  for  a  course  of  researches  for  increas- 
ing that  kind  of  knowledge;  and  the  opposition  to  large  libraries 
generally  comes  from  these  who  can  thus  easily  acquire  the  means  of 
commencing  and  continuing  original  researches.  But  let  such  an  one  be 
reminded  that  electricity  is  not  all  of  knowledge;  that  chemistry  is  not 
all;  that  all  the  natural  sciences  and  all  the  physical  sciences  do  not  com- 
prehend all  of  knowledge  which  is  to  be  increased  and  diffused.  There 
is  mathematical  knowledge,  there  is  historical  knowledge,  there  is  legal 
knowledge,  there  is  knowledge  of  government,  knowledge  of  statistics, 
knowledge  of  geography,  knowledge  of  medicine,  knowledge  of  man  in 
his  intellectual  and  moral  character  and  relations,  knowledge  of  lan- 
guages, knowledge  of  art,  knowledge  of  the  practical  applications  of 
science,  of  agriculture,  commerce,  and  mechanical  arts,  and  knowledge 
in  infinite  varieties  of  form  and  name.  In  all  these  knowledge  may  be 
increased. 

We  are  prone  to  draw  our  analogies  too  much  from  the  physical 
sciences  when  we  think  of  the  increase  of  knowledge.  So  great  has  of 
late  been  the  progress  of  physical  science,  and  so  beneficial  have  been 
its  results  upon  the  material  condition  and  indirectly  upon  the  moral 
and  intellectual  condition  of  the  human  race,  that  it  is  ever  present  in 
the  thoughts.  It  is  visible  and  palpable.  Progress  in  it  is  readily 
recognized.  It  seefjis,  therefore,  more  real  than  progress  in  other  direc- 
tions, but  it  is  not  more  real  than  any  other  knowledge  not  merely 
speculative. 

All  knowledge  is  worthy  of  support.  All  knowledge  is  to  be 
increased.  And  although  one  increascr  may  need  in  his  efforts  but 
few  books,  yet  the  aggregate  of  those  needed  by  all  must  necessarily 
be  large. 

One  very  important  branch  of  knowledge,  for  instance,  is  that  of 
American  history.  The  man  who,  tracing  it  from  the  earliest  discover- 
ies through  all  the  colonizations  and  all  the  peopling  and  all  the  events 
which  have  developed  our  institutions,  might  deduce  with  certaintj' 
laws  and  principles  new  to  the  world  and  which  would  greatly  promote 
its  progress  in  ci\nlization,  would  be  increa.sing  knowledge  in  that 
department.  But  to  do  this  it  would  be  necessary  for  him  to  have 
access  to  at  least  25,000  books  in  that  department  of  research.  He 
could  not  find  these  books  in  all  the  public  libraries  of  America  com- 
bined. They  would  not  enable  him  to  make  this  contribution  to  knowl- 
edge. For  a  thorough  investigation  of  English  history-  with  a  like 
purpose  there  might  be  required  three  or  four  times  as  many  books;  so, 
too,  of  French,  of  German,  and  of  other  histories. 

To  us  hi.story  is  of   peculiar  importance.     A  new  people,  working 


MEACHAM    SUPPORTS   THE   LIBRARY.  493 

out  the  greatest  problem  of  time — the  true  theory  and  practice  of  self- 
government — we  wish  to  examine  history  for  ourselves.  We  know  that 
it  has  been  tortured  to  teach  doctrines  which  we  have  disavowed  and 
rejected.  We  wish  for  access  to  the  sources  of  history  that  we  may 
form  our  own  independent  judgment.  We  wish  to  rewrite  it  from  our 
own  standpoint.  Our  children  and  the  waiting  world  are  to  Ix^  taught 
to  read  hi.story  aright.  Our  free  institutions  are  not  the  offspring  of 
ignorant  blundering  and  sciolistic  rashness.  Our  fathers — the  JefFer- 
sons,  the  Adamses — were  men  of  study  and  thought.  They  had  passed 
portions  of  their  lives  like  recluses  among  books.  And  so,  earlier,  the 
first  colonists  were  men  of  education  and  study  and  they  brought 
libraries  with  them  to  this  far  off  Western  world.  The  doctrines 
developed  here  are  destined  to  spread,  not  by  sudden  outbursts  of 
enthusiasm,  not  in  the  wild  tramp  of  revolutions  so  much  as  by  the 
silent  influence  of  what  thinking  and  sttidious  men  will  write  and  speak. 
We  need  the  books  to  aid  our  students  in  this  noble  work. 

History  is  indeed  a  large  department,  and  he  who  cultivates  it  must 
have  many  books.  Other  branches,  too,  require  each  its  quota;  one 
may  be  satisfied  with  a  few,  another  require  many  thousands.  If  we 
suppose  ourselves  providing  a  library  for  a  hundred  investigators  in 
different  directions,  the  average  number  of  books  for  each,  different 
from  those  which  others  might  need  (not  to  read  through,  but  to  con- 
sult), might  be  5,000;  the  whole  number  of  books  necessary  to  meet 
the  wants  of  these  hundred  investigators  would  then  be  500,000;  and 
thus  we  should  require  the  large  library. 

But,  again,  knowledge  acquired  is  essential  to  the  increase  of 
knowledge,  not  only  as  the  necessary  stepping-.stone  or  point  of  support, 
but  also  in  furnishing  analogies,  and  indicating  the  direction  in  which 
new  knowledge  is  to  be  sought.  KfTorts  must  not  be  projected  at 
random  into  the  unknown.  Thej'  must,  to  be  successful,  be  directed  by 
a  previous  acquaintance  with  what  has  been  discovered,  and  the  manner 
of  its  discovery.  The  greatest  discoveries  are  made  by  men  whose 
minds  have  been  trained  to  the  work,  by  studying  the  analogies  of  past 
discovery. 

To  say  that  a  library  is  not  for  the  increase  of  knowledge  is  to  say 
that  the  existence  of  knowledge  is  not  es.sential  to  its  increase;  that  the 
past  is  nothing  to  the  future;  that  all  now  known  may  be  blotted  out, 
and  yet  the  progress  of  knowledge  continue.  The  mere  statement  of 
such  a  proposition  is  its  refutation. 

As  to  the  relation  of  a  library  to  the  diffusion  of  knowledge,  little 
need  be  said.  To  it  would  be  attracted  those  who  wish  to  learn  for 
themselves,  and  especially  those  who  wi.sh  to  learn  that  they  may  teach. 
The  lights,  as  has  been  said,  kindled  here  would  shine  upon  a  thousand 
hills.  The  bookmakers,  the  lecturers,  the  teachers  would  come  here 
to  spend  their  studious  weeks,  and  gather  that  they  might  distribute. 


494  PLANS   FOR   A    NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

For  diffusiveness,  what  other  instrumentality  can  compare  with  this? 

There  is  a  fallacy  lurking  in  the  language  of  the  committee  when 
they  say  of  the  library,  "It  would  not,  of  itself,  add  to  the  sum  of 
human  knowledge."  Of  itself,  neither  would  it  diffuse  knowledge. 
Of  itself,  it  could  do  nothing.  Neither  could  any  institution,  corpora- 
tion, or  establishment,  of  itself,  either  increase  or  diffuse  knowledge. 
Corporations,  institutions,  libraries  are  mere  means,  instrumentalities, 
facilities,  incitements  to  individuals  who,  as  individuals,  in  the  exercise 
of  individual  intellect,  increase  knowledge.  In  this  regard,  therefore, 
a  library  stands  in  precisely  the  relation  to  knowledge  that  a  learned 
society  does.  Both  are  means.  Neither  is  capable  of  effecting  the  end, 
of  itself  .  The  observation  of  the  committee,  in  the  same  sense  and  in 
a  like  degree,  is  applicable  to  the  plan  which  the  report  proposes  to 
establish. 

But  among  the  means,  the  most  important  of  all  and  most  wanted 
in  this  countr}'  and  at  this  time  is  a  great  library.  We  have  the 
means  of  education,  of  discipline  in  schools  and  colleges;  we  have  active 
minds  and  active  presses,  and  far  greater  facilities  for  spreading  among 
men  whatever  we  can  do  to  promote  knowledge  than  are  enjoyed  in 
any  otuCi  country.  But  we  have  not  books.  ^  The  public  libraries  of 
this  country  do  not  furnish  means  for  extensive  studj^  in  any  depart- 
ment. Not  one  of  the  \.xv\y  learned  works  which  have  been  produced 
by  our  countrymen  has  been,  or  could  have  been,  written  by  the  aid  of 
our  public  libraries  alone.  Works  like  Irving's  Columbus,  Wheaton's 
History  of  international  law%  Prescott's  works,  Ticknor's  History  of 
Spanish  literature — even  works  relating  to  our  own  history,  as  Ban- 
croft's History — can  not  be  written  from  the  collections  in  our  public 
libraries.  The  "American  Archives"  could  only  be  compiled  from  a 
library  of  some  25,000  volumes,  collected  at  his  own  expense  by  a  private 
individual,  and  which  yet  remains  private  property.  There  is,  perhaps, 
no  one  subject  that  can  be  fully  and  satisfactorily  investigated  in  our 
public  libraries.  We  need  one  large  library,  at  a  central  and  con- 
venient point,  accessible  freely  to  all  who  wish  to  consult  it,  and 
supplied  with  the  amplest  materials  for  research. 

Such  a  library  would  afford  to  the  poor  as  well  as  to  the  rich  the 
facilities  of  learning.     It  would  be  eminently  democratic. 

The  rich  for  the  most  part  are  now  our  learned  men — those  who  can 
go  to  Europe  to  consult  the  libraries  of  the  Old  World.  Had  we  our 
library  here  the  citizen  of  the  most  distant  of  the  thirty -one  States  could 
come  here  more  easily  than  he  could  go  to  Germany.  The  question 
with  him  now  is.  Shall  I  go  to  Europe  or  give  up  my  investigation? 
The  question  then  would  be.  Shall  I  give  it  up  or  go  to  Washington? 

A  large  library  must  have  a  local  habitation  somewhere.  Wherever 
it  might  be  it  would  be  visited  by  the  studious.  But  there  is  no  place 
in  this  coimtry  so  favorable  for  its  location  as  Washington.     The  facil- 


MHACHAM    SUrPORTS   THE   LIBRARY.  495 

ities  of  conununicatiou  with  every  part  of  the  Union  are  greater  than 
for  any  other  place.  This  is  the  only  place  in  the  Union  with  which 
every  citizen  would  have  at  all  times  the  means  of  free  communication. 
A  citizen  of  a  distant  State,  desirous  of  ascertaining  facts  to  be  learned 
only  in  a  large  library,  might  know  of  no  person  in  New  York  or  Boston 
to  whom  he  would  feel  at  liberty  to  write.  But  in  Washington  there  is, 
for  a  great  part  of  the  year,  the  representative  from  his  district,  of  whom 
he  could  readily  seek  assistance,  although  not  personally  known  to  him, 
in  procuring  the  information  he  might  need  to  any  reasonable  extent. 

There  are  other  reasons  why  such  a  library  should  be  in  W^'ashington. 
It  must  be  connected  with  the  Government.  The  publications  of  the 
Government  would  constitute  a  most  important  portion  of  such  a  collec- 
tion. These  could  not  so  well,  if  at  all,  be  gathered  elsewhere.  A  large 
proportion  of  researches  to  be  made  connect  themselves  with  the  Gov- 
ernment archives,  and  these  archives  can  not,  of  course,  be  removed 
from  the  capital.  Again,  the  collection  of  American  publications,  which 
will  hereafter  be  so  much  desired  b}-  investigators,  can  not  possible'  be 
made  except  by  the  aid  of  the  Government  through  the  copyright  law; 
and  it  is  manifest  that  this  collection  should  be  preserved  at  the  capital. 
Besides  all  this,  the  fact  of  this  institution  being  metropolitan,  and  con- 
nected with  the  Government,  makes  it  so  far  a  national  establishment. 
To  such  an  establishment  would  be  attracted  more  of  the  donations  and 
bequests  of  private  collectors,  of  books,  specimens,  and  works  of  art, 
than  to  any  other.  From  this  source  it  is  to  be  expected  that  the 
library,  if  once  placed  in  the  prominent  position  which  Congress 
intended  it  should  hold,  would  rapidly  rise  to  the  first  rank  among  the 
literary  storehouses  of  the  world.  Had  the  whole  sum  which  Congress 
allowed  and  intended  for  the  libraiy  been  expended,  we  should  have  had 
at  this  moment  a  librar}-  of  nearly  or  quite  200,000  volumes.  The 
money  for  the  building  was  specifically  appropriated  for  it  by  Congress, 
and  might  have  been  used  at  once  for  the  purpose.  A  building  exj)edi- 
tiously  finished  and  filled  with  the  stores  of  learning  produces  an  impres- 
sion upon  our  rapidly  moving  countr3-men.  There  is  something  to  see. 
If  money  has  been  expended,  there  is  something  to  show  for  it;  there  is 
property.  It  is  but  an  investment,  and  one  would  easily  be  convinced 
that  it  is  convertible  propert}-,  which  could  be  changed  back  again  into 
gold.  It  would  not  seem  like  water  spilled  upon  the  ground,  which  can 
not  be  gathered  up. 

It  is  desirable  in  the  management  of  a  public  institution,  not  only 
to  make  progress  but  to  show  progress.  Popularity  depends  upon  it, 
and  popularity,  though  not  to  be  sought  in  dereliction  of  principle,  or 
neglect  of  other  means  of  utility,  is  not  in  this  countrj-  to  be  despised. 

Again,  it  may  be  truly  said,  that  whatever  might  be  the  future  course 
of  the  Institution,  the  library  would  be  essential  to  its  greatest  success. 
Should  we  make  it  the  seat  of  a  learned  society — such  a  society  needs  a 


496  PLANS   FOR   A    NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

librarj',  and  a  very  large  one,  for  its  efficiency.  Should  it  be  devoted  in 
turns  to  varying  specialties,  each  would  find  in  the  general  library  one 
of  the  principal  instrumentalities  for  effecting  its  purposes.  It  would 
find  in  this  a  part  of  its  plans  provided  for. ' 

Mr.  Meacham's  report  was  not  presented  until  after  the 
adjournment  of  the  Board  of  Regents.  But  even  had  it  been 
presented  before  their  adjournment  it  is  improbable  that  it 
•would  have  affected  their  action.  On  the  8th  of  July,  1854, 
the  Regents  adopted  the  following  resolution: 

The  Secretary  of  the  Institution  and  of  this  Board  is,  by  the  seventh 
section  of  the  act  "to  establish  the  Smithsonian  Institution,"  required 
to  discharge  the  duties  of  ' '  librarian  and  keeper  of  the  museum, ' '  hav- 
ing, with  the  consent  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  power  to  employ 
assistants,  the  better  to'  enable  him  to  discharge  those  duties;  for  a 
better  construction  whereof, 

Be  it  resolved.  That  whilst  power  is  reserv^ed  in  the  said  section  to  the 
Board  of  Regents  to  remove  both  the  Secretary  and  his  assistants,  in  the 
opinion  of  the  Board  power  nevertheless  remains  with  the  Secretary  to 
remove  his  said  assistants.' 

Yeas. — Messrs.  Bache,  Hawley,  Mason,  Pearce,  Rush,  Totten — 6. 

Nays. — Messrs.  Douglas,  English,  Stuart,  Towers — 4. 

So  the  library  plan  was  finally  defeated,  and  its  representa- 
tive in  the  Institution,  Professor  Jewett,  was  removed  from 
office,  July  10,  1854. 

July  19  Rufus  Choate  wrote  to  his  son,  "Yesterday  I  ought 
to  have  been  at  Washington.  What  they  have  done  I  know 
not.  If  my  friends  carried  an  adjournment  it  is  well.  If  not, 
the  library y?^//,  as  the  expressive  perfect  tense  has  it."^ 

In  consequence  of  the  resolutions  passed  by  the  Board  of 
Regents,  July  8,  1854,  which  led  to  the  removal  of  Professor 
Jewett  from  the  office  of  librarian  of  the  Smithsonian  Insti- 
tution, Rufus  Choate  resigned  his  office  as  Regent  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution,  January  13,  1855.  This  resignation 
being  communicated  to  the  Senate  January  17,  Mr.  Pearce,  in 
justification  of  the  action  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  said: 

It  is  singular  that  in  the  act  of  Congress  there  is  a  limitation  upon  the 
appropriations  for  a  library  and  no  limit  to  the  appropriations  which 
maj'  be  made  for  any  other  of  the  designated  objects.     The  limitation  in 

•Smithsonian  report,  August  i,  1854,  pp.  284-288. 

"Ibid.,  p.  96. 

3Samuel  G.  Brown,  Life  of  Rufus  Choate  (1870),  p.  275. 


EXPLANATIONS   IN   THE   SENATE.  497 

the  libran-  expenditure  was  rather  inappropriately  added  to  one  of  the 
sections  of  the  bill  to  which  it  was  not  germane.  It  forbids  the  applica- 
tion of  more  than  $25,000  per  annum  to  that  purpose,  but  the  act  does 
not  anywhere  require  the  Regents  to  expend  annually  that  amount.  It 
establishes  no  minimum  below  which  they  shall  not  fall  in  their  appro- 
priations, but  it  simply  establishes  a  maximum  beyond  which  they  shall 
not  go.  That  has  been  done  by  Congress  in  regard  to  the  library,  but 
in  regard  to  no  other  object  of  expenditure.  Well,  sir,  the  Regents,  in 
their  discretion,  have  not  thought  it  necessary  or  expedient  to  expend 
the  whole  amount  of  the  sum  to  which  they  were  limited  by  that  pro- 
\'ision  of  the  act,  and  hence,  I  think,  all  the  difficulties  in  regard  to  this 
matter.  The}-  could  not  understand  the  words  ' '  not  exceeding  $25 ,000 ' ' 
to  mean  not  less  than  $25,000,  or  to  mean  nearly  $25,000,  or  to  signify 
anything  else  than  that  such  was  the  utmost  limit  of  expenditure  author- 
ized by  the  act  for  this  purpose.  The  words  necessarily  imply  that  the 
Regents  might  expend  less  than  that  sum,  and  the  question  how  much 
less  was  one  purely  for  their  discretion.' 

Mr.  Alason,  another  member  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  said: 

Suppose  this  fund  of  $30,000  or  $40,000  is  devoted  to  the  purchase  of 
books,  which  are  to  be  stored  here  on  shelves,  in  the  city  of  Washing- 
ton, who  is  to  read  them?  Why,  sir,  the  members  of  Congress  have 
little  time  to  read  the  books  which  accumulate  here  in  the  public  Library. 
The  citizens  of  Washington  form  a  very  small  proportion  of  the  people 
of  these  United  States,  and  thus  this  great  trust,  which  was  intended  for 
mankind, v!onld  be  limited  to  the  walls  of  Washington. 

There  is  another  great  objection  to  it.  Books  are  derived  from  book- 
sellers. Booksellers  are  connected  with  bookmakers,  and  bookmakers 
and  booksellers  with  that  hungr>'  legion  who  all  live,  and  of  whom 
some  grow  rich,  on  the  spoils  of  genius  and  industry.  Then,  there  are 
the  paper  makers,  and  the  book  printers  and  publishers  and  the  stereo- 
typists,  all,  all  would  be  hovering  around  this  fund,  to  say  nothing  of 
factorage,  commission,  foreign  travel  to  pick  up  rare  works  and  the 
ten  thousand  jobs  that  follow  in  such  a  train,  where  money  is  to  be 
spent  by  law  in  large  annual  stated  sums  to  buy  books;  and,  at  last,  what 
would  you  have  done?  Why,  you  would  have  taken  this  great,  noble, 
beneficent  donation  to  mankind  and  converted  it  into  a  fruitful  job  for 
every  race  of  needy  and  artful  adventurers.' 

Mr.  Douglas,  a  third  member  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  said, 
on  the  other  hand: 

When  all  the  various  plans  for  the  organization  of  the  Institution 
were  presented  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  especiall}'  the  library 
plan,  as  a  principal   feature,  not  an  exclusive  one,  in  antagonism  to  a 

'  Congressional  Globe,  36:  p.  302,  303.  Mbid..  36:  p.  304. 

23399-04 32 


498  PLANS   FOR    A    NATIONAL    LIBRARY. 

plan  that  the  hbrary  should  be  a  subordinate  feature,  or  that  there  should 
be  no  library  at  all,  it  is  my  firm  conviction  that  Congress,  by  its  action, 
did  sanction  the  policy  of  a  library  as  a  principal,  but  not  an  exclusive 
feature  in  the  Institution.  In  other  words,  the  plan  proposed  bj^  Mr. 
Marsh,  of  Vermont,  in  opposition  to  that  of  Mr.  Hough,  of  New  York, 
did  prevail,  and  the  main  features  of  Mr.  Marsh's  plan  tended  to  the 
establishment  of  a  library.  The  librarj^  plan,  as  it  was  called,  having 
prevailed,  there  was  a  limitation  on  the  amount  of  funds  to  be  devoted 
to  that  plan  inserted  in  the  law,  which  was  that  out  of  the  $30,000  of 
income  of  the  Institution  not  exceeding  $25,000  should  be  appropriated 
to  the  librarj'. 

I  do  not  hold  that  the  Regents  are  compelled  to  appropriate  to  a  library 
the  sum  of  $25,000  each  year,  but  I  do  hold  that  the  law  in  its  terms, 
when  carefull}'  examined,  contemplates  the  library  as  a  prominent  object 
in  the  Institution,  and  that  at  least  a  majority  of  the  funds  should  be 
expended  in  the  building  up  of  the  library.' 

So  it  was  ^^ Resolved^  That  the  Committee  on  the  Judiciary 
inquire  whether  anj^,  and,  if  any,  what  action  of  the  Senate 
is  necessary  and  proper  in  regard  to  the  Smithsonian  Insti- 
tution.'" 

The  Judiciary  Committee  reported  by  Judge  Butler,  Feb- 
ruary 6,  1855,  with  the  following  comment  upon  the  eighth 
section  of  the  act  of  August  10,  1846,  providing  a  sum,  not 
exceeding  an  average  of  $25,000  annually,  for  the  formation 
of  a  library,  and  upon  the  measures  of  the  Smithsonian 
authorities: 

This  section  can  not,  by  any  fair  construction  of  its  language,  be 
deemed  to  imply  that  anj-  appropriation  to  that  amount,  or  nearly  so, 
was  intended  to  be  required.  It  is  not  a  direction  to  the  Regents  to 
apply  that  sum,  but  a  prohibition  to  apply  more;  and  it  leaves  it  to  the 
Regents  to  decide  what  amount  within  the  sum  limited  can  be  advan- 
tageously applied  to  the  library,  having  a  due  regard  to  the  other 
objects  enumerated  in  the  law. 

Indeed,  the  eighth  section  would  seem  to  be  intended  to  prevent  the 
absorption  of  the  funds  of  the  Institution  in  the  purchase  of  books. 
And  there  would  seem  to  be  sound  reason  for  giving  it  that  construction, 
for  such  an  application  of  the  funds  could  hardly  be  regarded  as  a  faith- 
ful execution  of  the  trust,  for  the  collection  of  an  immense  library  at 
Washington  would  certainly  not  tend  "  to  increase  or  diffuse  knowledge  " 
in  any  other  country,  not  even  among  the  countrymen  of  the  testator; 
very  few  even  of  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  would  receive  any 

^  Congressional  Globe  ■^d:  305.  ^ Ibid.,  36:  307. 


CRITICISMS    IN   THE   HOUSE.  499 

benefit  from  it.  And  if  the  money  was  to  be  so  appropriated,  it  would 
have  been  far  better  to  buy  the  books  and  place  them  at  once  in  the 
Congress  Library'.  They  would  be  more  acceptable  to  the  public  there, 
and  it  would  have  saved  the  expense  of  a  costly  building  and  the  salaries 
of  the  officers;  yet  nobody  would  have  listened  to  such  a  proposition 
or  consented  that  the  United  States  should  take  to  itself  and  for  its  own 
use  the  moue)'  which  they  accepted  as  a  trust  for  ' '  the  increase  and 
diffusion  of  knowledge  among  men."  ' 

On  the  other  hand  [said  the  committee] ,  a  library  formed  upon  the 
exchange  system  ' '  will  contain  books  suitable  to  the  present  state  of 
scientific  knowledge,  and  will  keep  pace  with  its  advance,  and  it  is  cer- 
tainly far  superior  to  a  vast  collection  of  expensive  books,  most  of  which 
may  be  found  in  any  public  library-,  and  many  of  which  are  mere  objects 
of  curiosity  or  amusement,  and  seldom,  if  ever,  opened  by  anyone 
engaged  in  the  pursuits  of  science. ' '  "^ 

The  resignation  of  Rufus  Choate  as  Regent  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution  was  communicated  to  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives January  17,  1855,  and  b}'  them  referred  to  a  select 
committee  who  were  directed  to  inquire  and  report  W'hether 
the  Smithsonian  Institution  had  been  managed,  and  its  funds 
expended,  in  accordance  with  the  law  establishing  the  Insti- 
tution. On  the  3d  of  Alarch  this  committee  made  report  by 
Air.  Upham,  of  IMassachusetts.  Commenting  upon  the  text 
of  the  Smithson  will,  they  said: 

The  w'ord  ' '  increase ' '  is  held  by  some  of  the  zealous  combatants  in 
the  Smithsonian  controversy  to  be  identical  with  "discover)'."  The 
idea  seems  to  be  that  knowledge  can  only  be  increased  by  the  discovery  of 
a  new  truth.  This  is  an  arbitrarj'^  and  untenable  position.  A  mind 
experiences  an  increase  of  knowledge  if  it  knows  more  than  it  did 
before,  although  the  ideas  which  it  has  received  may  be  in  the  com- 
monest text-books.  There  has  been  an  increase  of  knowledge  in  the 
school,  in  the  congregation,  in  the  lecture  room,  if  ideas  not  before 
known  to  them  have  been  received  into  the  minds  of  the  hearers;  even, 
indeed,  it  matters  not  if  those  ideas  have  been  recorded  for  thousands  of 
years  in  languages,  classical  or  sacred,  that  have  been  dead  long  ago. 
Knowledge  has  been  increased,  if  one  mind  has  received  more,  whether 
it  be  new  or  old  truth.  The  language  of  Smithson  is  perfectly  simple, 
and  in  its  natural  sense  covers  the  whole  ground;  it  includes,  but  does 
not  require  new  truth.  Truth  discovered  a  thou.sand  years  ago  is  as 
good  as  truth  discovered  yesterday.     Knowledge  embraces  it  all  alike, 

'Tenth  annual   Smithsonian  report,  Thirty-fourth  Congress,  first  session,  Senate 
miscellaneous  documents.  No.  73,  p.  84. 
-Ibid.,  p.  85. 


500         PLANS  FOR  A  NATIONAL  LIBRARY. 

and  Smithson's  object  was  to  carry  knowledge  where  it  was  not  before, 
and  to  increase  it  where  it  was;  to  spread  it  over  a  wider  area  and  to  a 
greater  depth. 

In  like  manner  a  particular  meaning  has  been  crowded  upon  the  word 
"knowledge" — not  its  ordinary  meaning  in  common  usage,  but  a  nar- 
row, technical,  and  special  meaning.  This  has  been  done  by  confound- 
ing it  with  "science."  It  is  true  that,  in  their  primitive  origin,  or 
roots,  in  the  languages  from  which  they  are  derived,  these  words  may 
be  identical  in  their  meaning,  but  not  so  as  actually  used  in  common 
conversation  and  familiar  and  general  literature.  ' '  Knowledge ' '  is  all- 
comprehensive,  embracing  science,  art,  literature,  politics,  business,  the 
whole  world  of  nature  and  culture,  the  entire  realm  of  facts  and  reality, 
all  ages  and  all  that  they  have  contained.  "Science"  is  almost  univer- 
sally employed  to  denote  those  branches  of  knowledge  which  are 
systemized  into  a  distinct  organization  or  arrangement,  based  upon 
definite  principles,  and  reduced  to  particular  rules.  In  the  progress  of 
knowledge  new  sciences  are  added  to  the  list,  and  in  the  establishment 
of  new  classifications  the  boundary  lines  are  altered.  There  is  a  vast 
amount  of  knowledge  not  included  in  any  science.  Further,  the  word 
scieyice  is  sometimes  used  to  embrace  only  a  part  of  what,  in  a  broader 
sense,  is  included  in  the  sciences.  It  is  getting  to  become  quite  gener- 
ally used  to  denote  what  are  called  the  physical  sciences,  excluding 
political,  moral,  and  intellectual  science — excluding  history,  the  arts, 
and  all  general  literature.  Surely,  it  can  not  be  maintained  that 
' '  knowledge ' '  was  used  by  Smithson  as  merely  identical  with  ' '  science ' ' 
in  this  last-mentioned  and  most  limited  sense. 

The  words  ' '  among  men ' '  were  used  merely  to  corroborate  the  idea 
expressed  by  the  word  "diffusion."  They  do  not  necessarily  imply 
that  the  Institution  should  confine  itself  to  world-wide  operations.  The 
word  is  not,  as  some  seem  to  suppose,  "mankind,"  but  "men;"  and  he 
diffuses  knowledge  "among  men  "  as  truly,  and  in  as  full  a  sense,  when 
he  enlightens  the  minds  of  his  neighbors,  as  of  persons  at  the  farthest 
pole.  He  best  fulfills  the  idea  of  Smithson  who  increases  human  intelli- 
gence, whenever  and  wherever  he  has  an  opportunity,  in  every  circle  of 
influence,  however  near  or  however  remote.' 

Commenting  upon  the  eighth  section  of  the  act  of  August 
lo,  1846,  which  provided  for  an  appropriation  not  exceeding 
an  average  of  $25,000  annually  for  the  formation  of  a  library, 
they  said: 

The  expression  "  not  exceeding"  is  in  constant  use  in  the  legislation 
of  Congress  and  in  all  legislation  everywhere  in  which  appropriations 
are  made,  and  it  will  not  be  disputed  that,  in  all  instances,  the  expecta- 

'  Smithsonian  report,  Thirty-third  Congress,  second  session,  House  report  No, 
141,  pp.  15-16. 


CRITICISMS    IN   THE   HOUSE.  50I 

tioii  and  the  general  understanding  of  the  Legislature  is  that  about  the 
amount  thus  specified  will  be  expended.  The  word  ' '  average ' '  can  only 
be  considered  as  indicating  the  expectation  of  the  Legislature  that  the 
sum  expended  in  some  years  might  exceed  $25,000.  The  word  was  used 
in  order  to  give  the  managers  authority,  in  case  a  sum  less  than  $25,000 
were  expended  one  year,  to  expend  just  so  much  more  the  next,  and  vice 
versa.  No  doubt,  we  think,  can  be  entertained  that  the  framers  and 
enactors  of  the  law  expected  that  about  $200,000  would  be  expended 
"  for  the  gradual  formation  of  a  library,  composed  of  valuable  works  per- 
taining to  all  departments  of  human  knowledge,"  in  eight  years.  If  the 
law  does  not  contemplate  that  the  annual  expenditure  for  the  formation 
of  a  library  shall  be  something  like  $25,000,  any  other  figures  might  as 
w^ell  have  been  used.  If  the  administrators  of  the  law  are  at  liberty  to 
spend  as  little  as  they  may  please  for  a  library,  in  the  face  of  the  sum 
thus  indicated  in  the  law,  they  would  have  been  equally  at  liberty  what- 
ever sum  might  have  been  named,  whether  $30,000  or  $40,000.  In 
other  words,  if  the  clause  of  the  act  under  consideration  can  be  construed 
as  justifying  an  annual  average  expenditure  for  the  gradual  formation 
of  a  library  of  less  than  $20,000,  any  intermediate  sum  between  that  and 
the  entire  income  of  the  fund  would  have  been  of  equal  authority  and 
significance  as  indicating  the  intention  of  the  Legislature,  whichever  of 
the  said  intermediate  sums  might  have  been  inserted  in  the  act.  That 
is  to  say,  those  who  maintain  that  the  language  and  design  of  the  act 
are  carried  out  by  expending  less  than  $2,000  annually  for  books,  assume 
and  assert  that  it  would  not  have  altered  the  sense  of  the  act  had  $2,000, 
or  $10,000,  or  $40,000  been  the  sum  actually  named  in  it  instead  of 
$25,000.' 

In  conclusion,  they  said: 

But  a  few  words  are  needed  to  do  justice  to  the  value  of  a  great 
universal  library  at  the  metropolis  of  the  Union.  Every  person  who 
undertakes  to  prepare  and  publish  a  book  on  any  subject  will  be  found 
to  bear  testimony  to  the  need  of  such  a  library.  The  great  historians 
and  classical  writers  of  the  country  have  to  send  abroad,  often  to  go 
abroad  in  person,  in  order  to  obtain  materials  for  their  works.  All 
literary  men  are  eager  to  inspect  catalogues  and  explore  alcoves  in 
the  prosecution  of  their  favorite  departments,  and  there  is  no  direction 
in  which  they  are  more  tempted  to  drain  their  generally  quite  moderate 
resources  than  in  the  purchase  of  books.  Such  a  library  as  would  be 
accumulated  by  an  appropriation  of  $20,000  annually  for  twenty  years, 
judiciously  expended,  would  be  frequented  by  scholars  and  authors  in 
much  larger  numbers  than  persons  not  acquainted  with  their  wants  will 
be  likely  to  suppose.  In  half  a  century  it  would  give  to  America  a 
library  unequaled  in  value,  and  probably  in  size,  in  the  world. 

'  Smithsonian  report.  Thirty-third  Congress,  second  session,  House  report  No. 
141,  p.  17. 


502  PLANS   FOR   A    NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

There  is  a  special  reason  wli}^  such  a  hbrar}^  should  be  provided  at 
this  seat  of  the  Federal  Government.  The  annals  of  all  other  countries, 
running  back  into  the  past,  are  soon  shrouded  in  fable  or  lost  in  total 
darkness,  but  ours,  during  their  whole  duration,  are  within  the  range 
of  unclouded  history.  The  great  social,  moral,  and  political  experiment 
here  going  on  to  test  the  last  hope  of  humanity  is  capable  of  being 
described  in  clear  and  certain  records.  The  history  of  each  State  and 
Territory  can  be  written  on  the  solid  basis  of  ascertained  facts.  In  each 
State  and  Territory  there  are,  and  from  the  first  have  been,  many 
persons  who  are  preparing  and  have  published  works  illustrative  of  the 
entire  progress  of  those  respective  communities.  In  local  history,  com- 
memorative addresses,  and  the  vast  variety  of  production  of  this  sort 
our  literature  is  rich  and  ample  beyond  that  of  any  other  people.  There 
is  no  way  in  which  the  patriotism  and  virtue  of  a  people  can  be  so 
effectually  fostered  and  strengthened  as  by  cherishing  in  their  breasts 
an  interest  in  their  ancestry,  in  the  incidents  that  have  marked  the 
fortunes  of  their  States,  their  towns,  and  the  scenes  of  their  residence, 
the  transmitted  reminiscences  of  their  homes  and  firesides.  It  would  be 
a  great  and  good  thing  could  there  be  collected  in  a  national  library  in 
distinct  alcoves  all  valuable  publications  illustrating  the  history  of  the 
several  States  of  this  Union.  Different  processes  of  legislation  and 
various  .social  and  political  influences  have  operated  upon  them  several!}-, 
and  the  records  of  the  results  ought  to  be  here  for  the  inspection  and 
instruction  of  the  representatives  of  the  people,  of  the  people  themselves, 
and  of  the  whole  world. 

But  if  every  other  description  of  books  is  avoided  or  crowded  out, 
there  is  one  which  surely  ought  not  to  be.  If  the  resources  of  the  Insti- 
tution are  to  be  exclusively  or  mainly  devoted  to  .science  rather  than  to 
general  literature  and  knowledge,  it  ought  at  any  rate  to  have  within  its 
walls  a  perfect  and  universal  library  of  science  and  art,  not  merely 
modern  science  and  recent  researches,  but  all  the  publications  of  all  ages 
and  all  countries,  that  illustrate  the  progress  of  science  as  such.  If  we 
can  not  have  a  universal  library,  give  us  f  t  least  a  scientific  librar}^  such 
as  no  other  nation  can  boast.' 

This  report  was  signed  by  Mr.  Upham  alone. 
The  committee  also  reported  the  following  brief  for  the 
library  plan  submitted  by  Mr.  Meacham: 

Congress  established  the  Smithsonian  Institution  for  the  faithful  exe- 
cution of  Smithson's  trust,  "according  to  the  will  of  the  donor,"  by  a 
certain  act  approved  Augu.st  lo,  1846. 

In  this  act  Congress  directed  a  manner  (as  in  the  act  of  July  i,  1836, 
it  had  promised  to  do)  in  which  the  funds  should  be  applied. 

'Smithsonian  report,  Thirty-third  Congress,  second  session.  House  report  No. 
141,  pp.  25,  26. 


CRITICISMS    IN    THE    HOUSE.  503 

By  this  act  a  majorit}'  of  the  funds  were  to  be  appropriated  to  the 
library.     This  is  proved — 

By  the  evident  design  of  the  Congress  that  passed  the  law  they  refused 
to  limit  the  maximum  sum  to  be  devoted  to  that  object  at  a  less  sum 
than  $25,000,  though  repeated  efforts  were  made  for  a  less  sum. 

By  the  terms  of  the  law  itself,  that  fixes  the  sum  at  an  average  of 
$25,000,  and  shows  that  such,  or  near  that  sum,  should  be  expended  on 
the  library.     They  certainly  were  not  .sporting  with  an  imaginary  sum. 

By  the  decision  of  the  Board  of  Regents,  who  on  December  4,  1846, 
voted  that  $20,000  be  appropriated  for  the  library  "for  the  present." 
This  showed  their  understanding  of  the  act. 

B}'  the  compromise  which  divided  the  income  equally  between  the 
librar\'  and  the  Museum  on  the  one  hand  and  publications  and  researches 
on  the  other,  the  friends  of  the  library  felt  as  if  they  had  lost,  and  the 
friends  of  the  publications  felt  as  if  they  had  gained  by  the  compromise. 
The  opinions  of  both  go  to  show  the  general  understanding  that  the 
sum  to  be  given  to  the  library  was  more  than  half  of  the  whole  at  the 
time  of  the  compromise.     *     *     * 

The  library  is  the  only  one  of  the  ' '  purposes  provided ' '  for  which 
Congress  directs  the  Regents  "shall  make  an  appropriation." 

The  library  is  required  to  be  on  a  liberal  scale  for  the  accommodation 
of  this  and  the  other  purposes  provided. 

The  act  authorizes  an  annual  expenditure  of  nearly  five-sixths  of  the 
whole  income  upon  it — guarding  all  other  purposes  onl}'  to  the  extent 
of  about  one-sixth  of  the  income. 

The  appropriations  which  the  Regents  are  commanded  to  make  for  the 
library  are  for  a  particular  kind  or  class  of  library — one  ' '  composed  of 
valuable  works  pertaining  to  all  departments  of  human  knowledge." 
It  is  not  a  scientific  library;  it  is  not  a  library  as  an  auxiliary  to  some 
other  purpose,  but  a  universal  library  of  valuable  books  in  all  depart- 
ments. A  library  answering  this  description  must  necessarily  be  large. 
Its  formation  would  be  "gradual"  under  the  whole  sum  indicated;  for 
libraries  answering,  in  the  judgment  of  those  who  most  use  them,  this 
description,  must  contain,  in  the  present  age,  from  200,000  to  500,000 
volumes.' 

On  the  same  day  Mr.  Meacham  spoke  in  explanation  of 
his  position,  as  follows: 

On  the  4th  day  of  December,  1846,  the  Board  of  Regents  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution  appropriated  $20,000  annually  to  the  library,  inde- 
pendent of  salaries.  If  this  resolution  had  been  carried  out,  we  should, 
even  now,  have  much  the  largest  library  in  this  country.  It  would  be 
something  to  have,  to  see,  to  use,  to  grow.     And  I  ask  you  to  place 

'  Smithsonian  report,  Thirty-third  Congress,  second  session,  House  report  No. 

141,  pp.  48,  49- 


504  PLANS   FOR   A    NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

beside  this  the  half  dozen  quarto  and  the  half  dozen  octavo  volumes 
published  by  the  Institution,  and  tell  me  which  you  would  prefer — 
which  would  tend  most  for  the  increase  and  diffusion  of  knowledge. 

Then,  referring  to  the  compromise  resolutions  of  January 
26,  1847,  ^^  said: 

The  friends  of  the  library  reconciled  their  course  with  the  law  thus: 
If  $20,000  a  year  be  expended  for  books  during  the  four  or  five  j-ears 
while  the  building  is  in  progress,  we  shall  gather  a  considerable  librar)-, 
and  then  we  ma}'  be  justified  in  believing  that,  for  the  future,  the  share 
that  will  come  to  the  library  under  the  compromise,  may  be  considered  as 
meeting  the  requirements  of  the  law;  the  friends  of  the  scientific  scheme 
will  be  propitiated,  and  perpetual  harmony  secured. 

I  think,  sir,  that  they  strained  their  discretion;  but  they  acted  in  a 
spirit  of  conciliation  worthy  of  a  fairer  requital  than  it  has  met,    *    *    * 

I  have  not  sought  letters  of  recommendation  for  the  librar}^  plan,  nor 
have  others  for  me.  I  doubt  not  I  could  have  obtained  thousands.  To 
show  them  on  either  side  seems  to  me  idle  parade.  We  doubt  not  that 
librarians  in  Athens  and  Paris  are  glad  to  get  handsome  books  from 
America,  and  are  ready  to  praise  them  before  our  traveling  countrymen. 
'Tis  polite  to  do  so.  We  doubt  not  that  scientific  men  like  to  have 
means  of  publishing  their  works,  too  heavy  for  booksellers.  We  need 
not  here  doubt  that  it  may  sometimes  be  useful  to  publish,  gratuitously, 
books  that  people  do  not  care  enough  about  to  buy.  But  the  question 
here  is,  Can  the  Smithsonian  Institution  laufidly  devote  itself  to  such  a 
purpose  exclusively  or  pri7icipally? ' 

The  divided  opinions  of  Congressmen  regarding  the  admin- 
istration of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  were  representative 
of  public  opinion  in  the  country  at  large.  The  Soiitheni 
Literajy  Messenger  (August,  1855),  said: 

We  are  ourselves  devoted  lovers  of  books,  and  despite  of  Hobbes, 
should  fear  no  infection  of  learned  ignorance  from  the  presence  of  a 
Bodleian  or  Ambrosian  in  the  city  of  Washington;  but  the  will  does  not 
seem  to  provide  for  any  such  foundation.  The  language  of  Mr.  Choate 
in  opposing  the  conversion  of  the  fund  to  purposes  of  education,  might 
be  applied  with  equal  force  to  the  establishment  of  a  library.  "It  would 
hardly  appear  to  be  an  instrumentality  coming  up  to  the  sonorous  promise 
of  increa.sing  and  diffusing  knowledge  among  men.  Who  would  the 
readers  be?  Who  could  afford  to  come  all  the  way  to  Washington  from 
the  South,  West,  and  North  to  learn."  An  expensive  and  tedious  pil- 
grimage to  the  shrine  could,  of  course,  be  onl}'  the  privilege  of  a  few; 
but  for  any  purpose  of  wide  utility  the  library  would  be  no  more  felt 
than  so  much  sunshine  on  the  poles. 

'  Congressional  Globe,  37:  342. 


OriNIONS   OF   THE    TRESS.  505 

The  N'orlJi  Avicn'can  Revieiu  (October,  1854),  on  the  other 
hand,  referred  to  the  fact,  that  the  act  of  August  10,  1846, 
had  directed  an  appropriation  of  not  more  than  $25,000 
annually  for  the  library,  and  said : 

Had  an  average  aunual  appropriation  of  $25,000  been  actually  made 
for  the  library  in  eight  years,  the  sum  of  $200,000  would  have  been  so 
expended,  and  there  would  be  at  Washington  a  magnificent  library  con- 
taining 200,000  volumes.' 

The  Review  then  detailed  the  history  of  the  Institution, 
and  concluded  as  follows: 

We  suggest  but  a  single  one  of  the  advantages  of  the  library  plan, 
which  should  especially  recommend  it.  The  collection  of  a  great  library 
is  almost  the  onlj-  object  which  is  not  likel}'  to  be  attained  in  any  other 
wa5\  The  available  fund  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution  will  be  about 
$700,000.  Now,  it  is  manifestly  better  to  spend  this  chiefly  for  some 
one  thing  that  can  not  be  done  so  well  with  a  less  fund  than  to  separate 
it  into  portions  for  several  objects.  A  librar}-  of  200,000  volumes  is  a 
great  deal  more  than  twice  as  good  as  a  library  of  100,000  volumes,  but 
however  many  publications  the  Institution  may  issue,  the  benefits  of 
printing  them  will  increase  only  in  the  same  proportion  as  the  number. 
A  dozen  separate  institutions,  each  with  a  fund  of  $50,000,  can  do  much, 
probably  more,  in  the  waj'  of  publications  and  researches  as  the  Smith- 
sonian with  $600,000;  but  if  each  shoiild  collect  the  best  librar}-  it  could, 
the  result  would  be  far  inferior  to  what  the  Smithsonian  may  have  and 
ought  to  have  already.  We  may  safely  leave  to  the  numerous  respec- 
table societies  and  other  organizations  the  work  of  publications  and 
researches,  but  there  is  no  way  in  which  the  loss  of  the  Smithsonian 
librar}'-,  as  it  should  be,  can  be  replaced.^ 

Nor  toil's  Literary  Gazette  took  still  a  third  view: 

Whatever  decision  is  arrived  at  [it  said] ,  and  we  apprehend  it  can  be 
but  in  accordance  with  those  previously  attained,  it  can  not  but  affect 
favorably  the  question  of  establishing  a  national  library,  and  that  on  a 
far  more  secure  and  extended  basis  than  that  of  the  Smithsonian  endow- 
ment. For  even  if  a  large  library  had  been  established  on  that  founda- 
tion future  legislation  might  have  diverted  the  funds  from  its  support. 
But  a  fact  of  still  greater  moment  is  that  Smithson's  bequest,  munificent 
though  it  was,  would  not  be  more  than  sufficient  to  lay  the  foundation 
of  the  library  that  our  country  should  now  have,  and  the  original  fund 
being  thus  entirely  invested  the  annual  expenditures  would  have  to  be 
dependent  upon  extraneous  support,  a  contingency  which,  like  the  other, 
might  destroy  its  future  usefulness.' 

^  Norlh  American  Reviczi',  79:  454. 

=  Ibid.,  pp.  462-463. 

^Norton's  Literary^  Gazelle,  n.  s.,  2:  67,  February  15,  1S55. 


5o6  PLANS   FOR   A   NATIONAL   LIBRARY. 

Is  not  such  an  establishment  needed?  What  would  be  its  effects  upon 
our  country?  With  an  ample  depot  of  maps  and  charts  on  the  one  hand, 
and  a  repository  for  American  archives  and  State  papers  on  the  other,  it 
would  need  no  collection  of  beasts,  birds,  or  fossils  to  make  its  influence 
felt  in  every  corner  of  our  land.  Its  plan  of  operation  should  be  upon 
the  most  liberal  scale.  If  any  responsible  person  wishes  to  consult  a 
work  on  its  shelves  let  it  be  loaned  or  forwarded  to  him  under  such  nec- 
essary restrictions  as  are  found  sufficient  by  the  Royal  Library  of  Berlin 
and  other  European  institutions.  If  this  is  found  to  interfere  with  that 
certainty  of  consulting  works  which  should  ever  attach  to  a  reference 
library,  then  let  such  a  corps  of  assistants  be  organized  that  extracts  can 
be  copied,  tracings  be  made,  and  maps  copied,  so  that  the  library  shall 
remain  not  a  mere  local  institution  but  one  of  the  greatest  usefulness. 

No  one  can  well  doubt  the  willingness  of  our  Government  to  foster 
such  an  enterprise,  when  he  looks  at  the  sums  expended  upon  exploring 
expeditions  and  for  the  publication  of  their  results.  Let  the  matter  be 
properly  brought  before  our  National  Legislature,  and  the  same  liber- 
ality will  be  evinced  that  has  ever  been  so  freely  displayed  for  the 
encouragement  of  scientific  and  geographical  explorations.  A  happy 
exemplification  of  this  truth  is  contained  in  the  address  made  before  the 
national  convention  of  librarians,  b}^  its  distinguished  president.  He 
says:  "Congress,  having  the  control  of  the  Treasurj^  of  this  rich, 
mighty,  and  intelligent  nation,  will  not,  I  believe,  be  backward  in  mak- 
ing appropriations  for  this  object,  whenever  it  shall  be  suitably  presented 
to  them.  Congress  may  be  regarded  as  liberal  in  matters  of  science  and 
of  learning,  whenever  they  are  sure  that  the  money  will  be  honestly  and 
properly  expended.  Many  men  do  not  believe  this,  but  look  at  the 
action  for  replenishing  the  desolated  hall  of  the  Library  of  Congress. 
Most  persons  were  of  the  opinion  that  Congress  could  not  be  brought  to 
make  an  appropriation  exceeding  $30,000  for  this  purpose;  but  when 
Mr.  Chandler  proposed  $75,000,  it  was  readily  granted.  It  would  have 
been,  had  he  asked  $200,000,  if  they  had  thought  that  sum  necessary, 
and  believed  that  it  would  be  honestly  and  judiciously  devoted  to  the 
gathering  of  a  good  library. ' ' 

No  time  can  be  more  auspicious  for  such  an  undertaking  than  the 
present,  and  while  we  already  behold  the  Smithsonian  Institution  rival- 
ing, in  the  importance  of  its  original  researches,  the  Royal  Society  of 
Great  Britain  and  the  Academic  des  Sciences  of  France,  we  hope  soon 
to  see  a  national  library  arising  by  its  side,  vieing,  in  the  completeness 
of  its  collections,  with  the  Bibliotheque  Imperiale,  the  Royal  Library  of 
Berlin,  and  the  library  of  the  British  Museum.' 

With  these  prophetic  words  we  may  close  the  early  history 
of  the  national  library,  a  history  full  of  interesting  plans  and 
not  without  interesting  achievements. 

^  Nortojt's  Literary  Gazette,  n.  s.,  2:  67,68,  February  15,  1S55. 


^ppzmXixcs 


507 


Appendix  I. 


Officers  of  the  Library,  1802-186^. 


1802. 
1807. 
1815. 
1S27. 

1S29. 
1831. 
1S41. 
1854- 
1S61. 
1862. 
1863. 


Librarian. 


John  Beckley 

(iSo  2-1807.) 
Patrick  Magruder. 

(1S07-1S15.) 
George  Watterston 

(1815-1829.) 


As.sistant  Li- 
brarian. 


John  Silva  Meehan 
(1829-1S61.) 


J.  G.  Stephenson 
(1861-1864.) 


E.B.Stelle  .. 
{1827-1829, 
1830-1S61.) 

E.J.Hume  .. 
(1829-30.) 


A.  R.  SpofFord 
(1S61-1864.) 


Second  Assistant    T  bird  Assistant  j 
Librarian.         |       Librarian. 


Messenger. 


C.  H.  W.  Meehan 
(1841-1872.) 


Robert  Kearon. 
(1S31-1861.) 


C.W.  Hinman  . 

(1854-1861.)      i 
L.  L.  Tilden  . . . 

(1861-62.) 
G.  A.  Morris. .. 

(1862-1881.)      I 


L-  G.  Duckworth. 

(1861-62.) 
Tazewell  \V.  Fox. 

(1862-63.) 
George  S.  Poole. 

(1863-64.) 


Appendix  II. 
Members  of  the  Library  Committee. 

Ninth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     Samuel  Latham  Mitchill,  Abraham  Baldwin, 
John  Quincy  Adams. 

House     ....     Joseph  Clay,  Thomas  M.  Randolph,  Samuel  W. 
Dana. 
Ninth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .      .     .      .     S.  L.  Mitchill,  A.  Baldwin,  J.  Q.  Adams. 

House      ....     J.  Clay,  T.  M.  Randolph,  S.  W.  Dana. 
Tenth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     .     .     .     .     S.  D.  Mitchill,  J.  Q.   Adams,  William  Branch 
Giles. 

House      .      .     .      .     S.  W.  Dana,  J.  Clay,  W.  C.  Nicholas. 
Tenth  Congress,  .second  session: 

Senate     ....     W.  B.  Giles,  BuckuerThruston,  Andrew  Gregg. 

Hou.se      ....     W.  C.  Nicholas,  Benjamin  Say,  S.  W.  Dana, 
Eleventh  Congress,  first  ses.sion: 

Senate     .      .     .      .     W.  B.  Giles,  B.  Thru.ston,  A.  Gregg. 

House     ....     W.  C.  Nicholas,  B.  Say.  S.  W.  Dana. 


5<J9 


5IO  APPENDIX   II. 

Eleventh  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     ....     James  I^lo^^d,  Michael  I^eib,  Samuel  Smith  of 
Maryland. 

House     .     .      .     .     S.  W.  Dana,  Thomas  Newton,  Adam  Seybert. 
Eleventh  Congress,  third  session: 

Senate     .      .      .     .     M.  L,eib,  S.  Smith  of  Maryland,  John  Condit. 

House     ....     A.  Seybert, Timothy  Pitkin,  Alexander  M' Kim. 
Twelfth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     .      .     .      .     M.  Leib,  S.  Smith  of  Maryland,  J.  Condit. 

House     ....     Adam     Seybert,    William     L,owndes,    Josiah 
Quincy. 
Twelfth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .     .     .     .     M.  Leib,  Charles  Tait,   George  W.  Campbell. 

House     ....     S.  I..  Mitchill,  A.  Seybert,  James  Emott. 
Thirteenth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     .     .     .     .     M.  Leib,  David  Stone,  C.  Tait. 

House     .     .     .     .     A.    Seybert,    John    Robertson,    Lewis    Burr 
Sturges. 
Thirteenth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     ....     M.  Leib,  Robert  Henry  Goldsborough,  Jeremiah 
Mason. 

House     ....     A.  Seybert,  Langdon  Cheves,  William  Gaston. 
Thirteenth  Congress,  third  session: 

Senate     .     .     .     .     R.  H.   Goldsborough,  Eligius  Fromentin,  C. 
Tait. 

House     ....     A.  Seybert,  W.  Lowndes,  W.  Gaston. 
Fourteenth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     .     ,     .     .     E.  Fromentin,  William  Hunter,  R.  H.  Golds- 
borough. 

House     ....     John  W.  Taylor,  Joseph  Hopkinson,  Henry  St. 
G.  Tucker. 
Fourteenth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .     .     .      .     E.  Fromentin,  R.  H.  Goldsborough, W.  Hunter. 

House     .     .     .     .     J.  W.  Taylor,  J.  Hopkinson,  H.  St.  G.  Tucker. 
Fifteenth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     Mahlon  Dickerson,  Rufus  King,  C.  Tait. 

House     ....     A.  Seybert,  Ezekiel  Whitman,  Henry  Middle- 
ton. 
Fifteenth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .     .     .     .     M.  Dickerson,  R.  King,  E.  Fromentin. 

House      ....     A.  Seybert,  Jonathan  Mason,  William  Irving. 
Sixteenth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     .     .     .     .     M.  Dickerson,  W.  Hunter,  S.  W.  Dana. 

House      ....     Charles  Pinckney,  Silas  Wood,  Henry  Meigs. 


MEMBERS    OF    LIBRARY    COMMIl^fEE.  5II 

Sixteenth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .     .     .     .     M.  Dickerson,  S.  W.  Dana,  W.  Hunter. 

House     ....     Rollin  C.  Mallary,  Severn  E.  Parker,  Robert 
Allen. 
Seventeenth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     .     .      .     .     M.  Dickerson,  John  W.  Walker,  John  Elliot. 

House 
Seventeenth  Congress, 

Senate     .     .     . 

House 


Eighteenth  Congress,  first  session: 


Senate 
House 


Joel  R.  Poinsett,  A.  Smyth,  Thomas  Whipple, 
second  session: 

M.  Dickerson,  J.  Elliot,  Elijah  H.  Mills. 
A.  Smyth,  T.  Whipple,  Alfred  Cuthbert. 


M.  Dickerson,  J.  Elliot,  Thomas  H.  Williams. 
A.  Smyth,  William  C.  Bradley,  J.  R.  Poinsett. 


Eighteenth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .      .     .      .     M.  Dickerson,  J.  ElHot,  T.  H.  Williams. 

House     ....     William  C.  Rives,  W.  C.  Bradley,  J.  R.  Poin- 
sett. 
Nineteenth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     .     .      .     .     M.  Dickerson,  John  Gaillard,  Ashur  Robbins, 
Nathan  Sanford  (vice  Gaillard,   deceased). 

House     ....     Edward  Everett,  W.  C.  Bradley,  Silas  Wood. 
Nineteenth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .      .     .      .     M.  Dickerson,  A.  Robbins,  N.  Sanford. 

House      .     .      .     .     E.  Everett,  W.  C.  Bradley,  S.  Wood. 
Twentieth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     .     ,     .     .     M.  Dickerson,  N.  Sanford,  A.  Robbins. 

House      .     .     .     .     E.  Everett,  S.  Wood,  Charles  Miner. 
Twentieth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .     .      .     .     N.  Sanford,  A.  Robbins,  L,evi  Woodbury. 

House     .     .     .     .     E.  Everett,  S.  Wood,  Charles  Miner. 
Twenty-first  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     A.  Robbins,  L,.  Woodbury,  Felix  Grundy. 

House     .     .     .     .     E.  Everett,   Gulian  C.  Verplanck,  James  M. 
Wayne. 
Twenty-first  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     ....     A.  Robbins,  L.  Woodbury,  Theodore  Freling- 
huysen. 

House     .     .     .     .     E.  Everett,  G.  C.  Verplanck,  J.  M.  Wayne. 
Twenty-second  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     A.  Robbins,  T.  Frelinghuysen,  George  Poin- 
dexter. 

House     .     .     .     .     E.  Everett,  G.  C.  Verplanck,  J.  M.  Wayne. 
Twenty-second  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     ....     A.  Robbins,  G.  Poindexter,  George  M.  Bibb. 

House     .     .     .     .     E.   Everett,  G.   C.  Verplanck,  J.  N.  Wayne. 


5^- 


APPENDIX   II. 


Twenty-third  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     A.  Robbins,  G.  Poindexter,  G.  M.  Bibb. 

House      .     .     .      .     E.  Everett,  J.  N.  Wayne,  George  L,oyall. 
Tw^entj'-third  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     ....     A.  Robbins,  G.  Poindexter,  G.  M.  Bibb,  Wm. 
C.  Preston  (vice  Poindexter). 

House     .     .      .     .     E.  Everett,  J.  N.  Wayne,   G.   Loj'all,  Horace 
Binney  (vice  Wa5'ne) 
Twentj'-fourth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     W.  C.  Preston,  Alexander  Porter,  A.  Robbins. 

House      .      .      .      .     G.  Loj^all,  John  ^IcKeon,  W'addy  Thompson. 
Twenty- fourth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     ....     A.  Robbins,  W.  C.  Preston,  Garret  D.  Wall. 

House     ....     John  M.  Patton,  J.  McKeon,  Henrj^  I^.  Pinck- 
ney. 
Twenty-fifth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     A.  Robbins,  W.  C.  Preston,  G.  D.  Wall. 

House 
Twenty-fifth 

Senate 

House 
Twenty-fifth 

Senate 

House 
Twenty-sixth 

Senate 

House 


Congress 


Congress 


J.  M.  Patton,  Isaac  E.  Crarj'^,  Levi  Lincoln, 
second  session: 
A.  Robbins,  William  Allen,  G.  D.  Wall. 
J.  M.  Patton,  John  Pope,  Charles  McClure. 
third  session: 
A.  Robbins,  G.  D.  Wall,  Wm.  Allen. 
J.  Pope,  C.  McClure,  Jesse  F.  Cleveland. 
Congress,  first  session: 

Benjamin  Tappan,  W.  C.  Preston,  G.  D.  Wall. 
Dixon  H.  Lewis,  Joseph  L.  Tillinghast,  Charles 
Naylor. 
Twentj'-sixth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .      .      .     .     G.  D.  Wall,  W.  C.  Preston,  B.  Tappan. 
House     .     .     .     .     J.  L.  Tillinghast,   Caleb  Cushing,  George  M. 
Keim. 
Twenty-seventh  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     Thomas  Clayton,  W.  C.  Preston,   B.  Tappan. 
House      ....     J.    L.    Tillinghast,    John    B.   Aycrigg,  T.    D. 
Sumter. 
Twenty-seventh  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .      .     .     .     W.  C.  Preston,  B.  Tappan,  Rufus  Choate. 
House      ....     J.  L.  Tillinghast,  J.  B.  Aycrigg,  T.  D.  Sumter. 
Twenty-seventh  Congress,  third  session: 

Senate     ....     William  Woodbridge,  B.  Tappan,   R.   Choate, 
House     ....     J.  L.  Tillinghast,  J.  B.  Aycrigg,  T.  D.  Sumter. 
Twenty-eighth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     .     .     .     .     R.  Choate,  B.  Tappan,  John  McP.  Berrien. 
House     ....     Edmund  Burke,  George  P.  Marsh,  William  B. 
Maclay. 


MEMBERS   OF   LIBRARY   COMMITTEE.  513 

Twenty-eighth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate      .      .     .      .     R.  Choate,  B.  Tappan,  James  A.  Pearce. 
House     .     .     .     .     E.  Burke,  G.  P.  Marsh,  L,ucius  Lyon. 
Twentj'-ninth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     J.  A,  Pearce,  Joseph  W.  Chalmers,  Dixon  H. 

Lewis. 
House      ....     Richard  Brodhead,  W.  W.   Campbell,  E.  W. 
Hubard. 
Twentj'-ninth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .      .      .     .     J.  A.  Pearce,  J.  W.  Chalmers,  D.  H.  Lewis. 
House     .     .     .     .     R.   Brodhead,  W.  W.   Campbell,   James  Mc- 
Dowell. 
Thirtieth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     J.  A.  Pearce,  Jefferson  Da\ns,  James  M.  Mason. 
House     ....     J.   Q.   Adams,  William  B.   Preston,   Henry  C. 
Murphy,  John  C.  Palfrey  (vice  Adams,  de- 
ceased). 
Thirtieth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .     .      .     .     J.  A.  Pearce,  J.  Davis,  J.  M.  Mason. 
House      ....     W.  B.  Preston,  H.  C.  Murphy,  J.  C.  Palfrey. 
Thirty-first  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     J.  A.  Pearce,  J.  M.  Mason,  J.  Davis. 
House      ....     Isaac  E.  Holmes,   Horace  Mann,  Alfred  Gil- 
more. 
Thirty-first  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     ....     J.  A.  Pearce,  J.   M.   Mason,  J.   Davis. 
House      ....     I.  E.  Holmes,  H.  Mann,  William  Duer. 
Thirty-second  Congress,  first  .session: 

Senate     ....     J.  A.  Pearce,  Jeremiah  Clemens,  Augustus  C. 

Dodge,  James    A.  Bayard  (vice  Dodge). 
House     ....     Joseph  R.  Chandler,  Joseph  A.  Woodward,  H. 
Mann. 
Thirty-second  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .     .      .      .     J.  A.  Pearce,  J.  Clemens,  A.  C.  Dodge. 
House      ....     J.  R.  Chandler,  J.  A.  Woodward,  H.  Mann. 
Thirty-third  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     J.  A.  Pearce,  Lewis  Cass,  J.  A.  Bayard. 
House     .     .     .     .     J.   R.  Chandler,  Thomas  H.   Benton,  Chas.  J. 
Faulkner. 
Thirty-third  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     .     .     .     .     J.  A.  Pearce,  L.  Cass,  J.  A.  Baj-ard. 
House     ....     J.  R.  Chandler,  T.  H.  Benton,  C.  J.  Faulkner. 
Thirty-fourth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     .      .     .     .     J.  A.  Pearce,  L.  Cass,  J.  A.  Bayard. 
House      ....     William  Aiken,  Job  R.  Ty.son,  John  U.  Pettit. 
23399— <^4 33 


514  APPENDIX    II. 

Thirty-fourth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     ....     J.  A.  Pearce,  L,.  Cass,  J.  A.  Ba^-ard. 

House     ....     W.  Aiken,  J.  R.  Tyson,  J.  U.  Pettit. 
Thirtj'-fourth  Congress,  third  session: 

Senate     .     .     .     .     J.  A.  Pearce,  L,.  Cass,  J.  A.  Bayard. 

House      ....     W.  Aiken,  J.  R.  Tyson,  J.  U.  Pettit. 
Thirty-fifth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     .     .     .     .     J.  E.  Pearce,  J.  A.  Bayard,  R.  M.  T.  Hunter, 
WilHam  P.  Fe.ssenden  (vice  Hunter). 

House      ....     William  H.  Dimmick,  Warren  Winslow,  J.  U. 
Pettit. 
Thirtj^-fifth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     ....     J.  A.  Pearce,  J.  A.  Bayard,  W.  P.  Fessenden. 

House      .     .      .      .     W.  H.  Dimmick,  W.  Winslow,  J.  U.  Pettit. 
Thirty-sixth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     .      .     .     .     J.  A.  Pearce,  J.  A.  Bayard,  Jacob  Collamer. 

House      .      .      .      .     J.  U.  Pettit,  Charles  F.  Adams,  James  L,.  Pugh. 
Thirty -sixth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     ....     J.  A.  Pearce,  J.  A.  Bayard,  J.  Collamer. 

House     .     .     .      .     J.  U.  Pettit,  C.  F.  Adams,  J.  L.  Pugh. 
Thirtj'-seventh  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     J.  A.  Pearce,  J.  Collamer,  W.  P.  Fessenden. 

House      ....     Edward  McPherson,    Augustus    Frank,   John 
Eaw. 
Thirty-seventh  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     ....     J.  A.  Pearce,  J.  Collamer,  W.  P.  Fessenden. 

House      .      .     .     .     E.  McPherson,  A.  Frank,  J.  Eaw. 
Thirty- seventh  Congress,  third  session: 

Senate     ....     J.  A.  Pearce,  J.  Collamer,  W.  P.  Fessenden. 

House     .     .     .      .     E.  McPherson,  A.  Frank,  J.  Law. 
Thirt3'-eighth  Congress,  first  session: 

Senate     ....     J.Collamer,W.  P.  Fessenden,  Re verdyjohn.sou. 

House     ....     A.  Frank,   Elihu  B.  Washburne,  William  H. 
Wadsworth. 
Thirt3--eighth  Congress,  second  session: 

Senate     ....     J.  Collamer,  R.  Johnson,  Jacob  M.  Howard. 

House     ....     A.  Frank,  E.  B.  Washburne,  W.  H.  Wadsv/orth. 


APPROPRIATIONS   FOR   THE)   LIBRARY. 


515 


Appendix  III. 
Number  of  volumes  ifi  the  Libraiy. 


1800 
1814 
1815 
1822 
1830 
1836 
1840 
1845 


Appendix  IV. 
Legislative  appropriations  for  the  Library  of  Congress.^ 


Date. 

Salaries. 

Books. 

Law 
books. 

Contin- 
gent ex- 
penses. 

Publica- 
tion 
of  cata- 
logue. 

^^P^i'-^-     cha^nges. 

Furni- 
ture. 

iSoo $5, 000. 00 

1805 

2  $900. 00 
2  450. 00 
2800.00 

$700.00 

i8o5 5,000.00 

.  .  .  .' 

1807 ' 

■  ■■■■■■■| 

180S ; 

2800.00 
2800.00 
2800.00 

::::;:::::i:::::":":  ■■■  ■ 

1809 ! 

5,000.00 

1810 

1 

1811 

5,000.00 

600.00 

1812 

2800.00 

2800.00 

2800.00 

2800.00 

6,262.56 

450.00 

450.00 

450.00 

450.00 

450.00 

450.00 

450.00 

450.00 

450.00 

450.00 

450.00 

1813 1 ! 

1 

1814 1 i 

, 

1815 

23, 950. 00 

1 

I972.37 
1,520.87 

1816 

1 

1817 

I900.00 
1,500.00 
1,500.00 
1,500.00 
1,500.00 
1, 500. 00 
1,500.00 
1,500.00 
1,500.00 
1,500.00 
2, 300. 00 
2,960.80 
2, 300. 00 
2, 300. 00 
2,  300. 00 
2, 300. 00 
2,650.00 
2, 650. 00 
2, 650. 00 
3,048.00 
4, 148. 00 
3, 922. 40 
3, 350. 00 
3.787-50 
4. 579-  37 
5,  300. 00 
2, 250. 00 
4, 500. 00 
4, 500. 00 
4, 500. 00 
4,  500. 00 
4,500.00 
4,500.00 
4,500.00 

1S18 

2,000.00 

1 

537.00 
375.86 

1819 

1 

1820 

2,000.00 

1 

1821 

1,000.00 

I 

1822 

1,000.00 
2,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
3,000.00 
5,  coo. 00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5, 000.00 

::.l::::::::::'  ■■■■■■ 

1823 

1824 

1 

1,546.00 
339.00 
295. 25 

1825 

1826 

1 

1827 



1 

1828 

1 

1829 



450.00 

450.00 

800.00 

800.00 

900.00 

1, 100.00 

1, 100.00 

1,200.00 

500.00 

500.00 

600.00 

600.00 

600.00 

1,800.00 

400.00 

1,025.00 

600.00 

600.00 

800.00 

1,400.00 

1 ,  400. 00 

800.00 

1 

1830 



1831 

:::::::. ::i:::::::::::::::::::': 

1832 

5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
2,500.00 
5,000.00 
2,500.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 
5,000.00 

J5, 000. 00 
1,000.00 
1,000.00 
1,000.00 
1,000.00 
5,000.00 

3,000.00 

1833 

.. 

1834 

1835 

1, 500. 00 

1836 

1837 

1838 

$1,400.00 

1839 

1S40 

1841 

273.00 

1842 

1,000.00 
500.00 
1,000.00 
1,000.00 
1,000.00 
1,000.00 
1,000.00 
1,000.00 
1,000.00 

1843  3 

1843-44  

225.00 

1S44-45  



184S-46  

1846-47  

2,412.00 

$500.00 

l84"»-4S 

1848-49  

2,000.00 

1849-50 

2,000.00 

1  See  also  table  of  expenditures,  45th  Cong.,  2d  sess..  Sen.  Ex.  Doc.  84,  p.  27-37. 

2  And  salary  of  Librarian. 

3  To  July  I. 


5l6  APPENDIX   IV. 

Legislative  appropriations  fo7'  the  Library  of  Congress — Continued. 


Date. 

Salaries. 

Books. 

I,aw 
books. 

Contin- 
gent ex- 
penses. 

Publica- 
tion 
of  cata- 
logue. 

Repairs. 

Ex- 
changes. 

Furni- 
ture. 

1850-51  

$4,500.00 
4,  500. 00 
5,273-00 
4, 500. 00 
6,714. 18 

10,416.68 
9,000.00 
9,  000. 00 
9, 000. 00 

9,  000.  00 

9,  coo.  00 
9, 000. 00 

$5, 000. 00 
5, 000. 00 

S5,  000. 00 
5, 000. 00 
5,  000. 00 
5,  000. 00 
5, 000. 00 
5, 000. 00 
5, 000.00 
5, 000. 00 
5, 000. 00 
5, 000. 00 
5, 000. 00 
5,  000. 00 
5, 000. 00 

$2, 000. 00 
2, 000. 00 

2,  000. 00 

3,  700. 00 
2,  000. 00 
2, 000. 00 
2,  000.00 
2,  000. 00 
2, 000. 00 
2, 000. 00 
2, 000. 00 
2,  000. 00 
2,  000. 00 
2,  coo.  00 

2,  000.  00 

f  1, 800. 00 
800.00 
800.00 
I,  000.00 
1 ,  000. 00 
I,  000. 00 
1,000.00 
1,000.00 
1, 000. 00 
1,  000. 00 
1, 000.00 
I,  000.00 
1,000.00 

1 ,  000. 00 

2,  000. 00 

$2, 000. 00 

1852-53  

$78,  700. 00 
20,  500. 00 
3,  500. 00 

1, 000. 00 

1853-54  

$3,  000. 00 
5, 000. 00 

1854-55  

1855-56  

1856-57  

f  400. 00 
270. 00 

1857-58  

4,  000.  CO 

i85S-';9 

1859-60  

1860-61  

1861-62  

1 

1862-63  

1 

1863-64  

1S64-65  

10,  208.00 

7,500.00 
1 ,  700. 00 

1 4, 000. 00 

10,  500.00 

329, 950. 00 

53,  700.  00 

For  c\v\\  war  papers. 


Appendix  V. 
Catalogues  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  1800-186^. 

[List   of   books   purchased   by  Caddell   and    Davis   for  the  Hbrary  of 
Congress.] 
[Washi?igton,  1801.']     8  p.     8°. 

Letter  from  Caddell  and  Davis,  dated  London,  December  11,  1800, 
to  W.  Bingham  and  Robert  Wain,  including  an  invoice  of  the  books 
sent.  This  is  bound  in  a  volume  lettered  "State  Papers,  1801, 
December,  1802,  January"  in  the  Library  of  Congress. 

I.  Catalogue   |   of   |   Books,    Maps,    and    Charts,    |    Belonging   to   |   the 

library  |  of     the  |  two    Houses    of    Congress.    |   —  |   April, 
1802.  I  —  I 
lVashijigto?i    City:    Printed   by    William    Duane.    |  .      .      .      .  | 
{1802. '\      10  p.     8°. 

Books  arranged  by  size;  estimated  value  of  each  book  is  affixed. 
Supplemental  catalogue  of  books,  maps,  and  charts,  belonging  to  the 
library  of  the  two  Houses  of  Congress.     October,  1803. 
lVashi?igton  City:  Priyited  by  fames  D.  Westcoit  \i8of\.     2  p.  /. , 

II.  Catalogue  of  books,  maps,  and  charts,  belonging  to  the  library  of 

the  two  Houses  of  Congress.      1804. 
\\Vashington,  i8o<j..'\      13  p.     8°. 

III.  Catalogue  of  the  books,  maps  and  charts  belonging  to  the  library- 

established  in  the  Capitol  at  the  city  of  Washington,  for  the 
two  hou.ses  of  Congress:  to  which  are  prefixed  the  statutes  and 
bye-laws  relative  to  that  institution. 
City  of  Washingto7i :  A.  &  G.   Way,  printers,  1808.     ^o  p.     8°. 


CATALOGUES   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  517 

IV.  Catalogue  of  the  books,  maps  and  charts,  belonging  to  the  library- 

established  in  the  Capitol  at  the  city  of  Washington,  for  the 
two  houses  of   Congress:   to  which  are  annexed  the  statutes 
and  bye-laws  relative  to  that  institution. 
Washington  City  :  Printed  by  Roger  C.  IVeightman,  1S12.      loi p. 

8\ 

First  classified  catalogue  of  the  library,  and  last  one  issued  before 
its  destruction  in  1814.  Represents  3,076  volumes  (in  18  classes,  sub- 
arranged  by  size),  53  maps,  charts,  and  plans. 

V.  Catalogue   of    the    Library   of    the   United    States.     To   which   is 

annexed,  a  copious  index,  alphabetically  arranged. 
Washiyigton  :  Pri^ited  by  Jonathaii  Elliot,  181^.     5p-l-,  [j]--^7o, 
XXX  a  p.     /°. 

Pp.  iii-xxi  at  the  end  are  taken  up  with  the  index ;  pp.  xxiii-xxviii 
contain  the  "Rules  and  regulations  to  be  observed  in  the  Library  of 
Congress ; ' '  pp.  xxix-xxxii  ' '  Abstract  of  laws  concerning  the  Library 
of  Congress." 

This  Catalogue  comprises  exclusively  the  books  purchased  from 
Thomas  Jefferson  in  1815.  The  titles  are  arranged  in  alphabetical 
order  under  44  divisions  based  upon  Bacon's  classification  of  human 
knowledge  which  was  the  basic  scheme  of  the  arrangement  of  the 
Library  until  the  end  of  the  century. 

A  supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress. 

Washijigton  City:  Printed  by  Daiiiel  Rapine  {agent),  Capitol  Hill, 
1820.     28  p.     4°. 

Alphabetical  by  authors. 

A  supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress. 

Washiiigton:  Printed  by  Davis  &  Fo?'ce  {Franklin'' s  head),  Penn- 
sylvania avenue,  i82§.     40  p.     8°. 

Includes  titles  contained  in  1820  supplement. 

A  supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress. 

Washijigton:  Printed  by  Peter  Force ,  cor7ier  of  Eleve?ith  street  and 
Pennsylvania  aveynie,  182 j.     log  p.     8°. 

Classified,  with  author  index.  Cumulative,  including  titles  con- 
tained in  supplements  of  1820  and  1825. 

An  additional  supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress. 
Washi7igton:  Printed  by  Rothwell  &   Ustick,  1828.      16  p.      8°. 

VI.  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  December,  1830. 

Washington:  Printed  by  Duff  Gree7i,  18 jo.     vii,   \_9]-2s8  p.     8°. 

VII.  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  in  December,  1830;  a  supple- 

ment of  the  additions  in  December,  1831;  and  an  index  to  the 
names  of  authors  and  annotators,   and  to  the  publications  of 
learned  societies,  to  encyclopaedias,  new.spapers,  reviews,  mag- 
azines, &c. 
Washi?igton:  Printed  by  Dxcff  Green,  i8ji.     vii,  [9]-j62 p.     8°. 
A  reissue  of  the  catalogue  of  1830,  with  supplement,  p.  259-320, 
and  author  index  p.  321-362. 


5l8  APPENDIX   V. 

Supplement  to  the  catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  December, 
1831. 
\_Washi7igio7i:  Printed  by  D.  Green,  iSji.1      i  p.  /. ,  \_26f\-j20  p. 
^°. 

Supplement  to  the  catalogue  of  the  Librarj^  of  Congress,  December, 

1833- 
\Washi71gton:  F.    W.  De  Krafft,  printer,  i8jj.~\      92 p.     8°. 

Catalogue  of  additions  to  the  Library  of  Congress  since  December, 

1833- 
\\Vashington,  i8j^f\.     13 p.     8°. 
Half  title. 

Catalogue  of  additions  to  the  Library  of  Congress  since  December, 
1834. 
\^Waski7igto?i,  183^'].     22  p.     8°. 
Half  title. 

Catalogue  of  additions  to  the  Library  of  Congress  since  December, 

1835- 
\_Washi7igto7i,  1837].     2^  p.     8°.  '      . 

Half  title. 

Catalogue  of  books  in  the  law  department  of  the  Library  of  Congress, 
January  i,  1839. 
lWashi7tgton,  1839].     p8  p.     8°. 

4,174  vols.     Advance  issue  of  chapters  iS-23  of  the  following: 

VIII.   Catalogue   of   the  Library  of    Congress,   in   the   Capitol   of   the 
United  States  of  America,  December,  1839. 
City  of   Washi7igto7i:   Pri7ited  by  order  of  Co7ig7'ess,   {By  Lang- 
tree  and  G' S^dlivari)  18^0.     vii,  (p)  747  p.     8°. 

Supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  December, 
1840. 
[PVas/migton,  1840'^.      (i p.  /.),  28 p.     8°. 
Half  title. 

Supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  December, 
1842. 
[Was/ii7igto7i,  1842'].      (ip.l.),2pp.     8°. 
Half  title. 

Supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  December, 

1843- 
[  Washi7igton,  184.3]  ■      (^ P-  ^■),  33  P-     S° . 
Half  title. 

Supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  December  i , 
1844. 
\Washingto7i,  1844].     20  p.     8°. 
Caption  title. 


CATALOGUES   OF   THE   LIBRARY.  519 

Supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  December 
I,  1845. 
{^Waskzng^on,  /<5'/5] .     jrpp.     8°. 

Caption  title. 

Supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  December 
I,  1846. 
{^Washington,  18^6].     12  p.     8°. 

Caption  title.  Contains  the  first  list  of  copyright  books  "received 
in  compliance  with  the  loth  section  of  the  'act  to  establish  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution.'"     (Section  repealed  1S59.) 

Supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  December 
6,  1847. 
{Washington,  184.'/].     2j  p.     8°. 
Caption  title. 

Supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  December, 
1848. 
{Washington,  1848].     46  p.     8°. 
Caption  title. 

IX.   Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  June  30,  1849. 
{Washingto?t,  184^].     1022  p.     8°. 

No  t.  p.  Title  taken  from  binder's  label.  Chapters  18-23  were  reis- 
sued as  follows: 

Catalogue  of  books  in  the  law  department  of  the  Library  of  Congress, 
December,  1849. 
City  of    Washing to7i:    Pri7ited  by  order  of  Congress  {by  Towers'] , 
184.P.      iv,  139  p.     8°. 

Supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress,  December, 
1850. 
{Washifigton,  18^0'].     36  p.     8°. 

Caption  title.  Lists  of  books  received  by  international  exchange, 
"Agency of  A.  Vattemare,"  p.  32-36. 

Supplement  to  the  Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress.     Decem- 
ber, 1 85 1.      {Washi7igion,  iSji].     33  p.     8°. 

Caption  title. 

Additions  made  to  the  Library  of  Congress  since  the  first  day  of 
December,  1851.     November  i,  1852. 
Washington:  Printed  by  Lemuel  Towers,  1832.     i2g  p.     8°. 

Additions  made  to  the  Library  of  Congress  since  the  first  day  of 
November,  1852.     November  i,  1853. 
Washington:  Printed  by  Lemuel  Towers,  18,53.     211  p.     8°. 


520  APPENDIX   V. 

Additions  made  to  the  Library  of  Congress  since  the  first  daj^  of 
November,  1853.     November  i,  1854. 
Washhigton:  Printed  by  Joint    T.  and  Lent.   Towers,  1854..     2g^ 
p.     8". 

Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress.     Chapter  I.    Ancient  history. 
Conir)lete  to  January,  1854. 
Washington:  Stereotyped  and  printed  at  the  Smithso7iian   Institu- 
tion, 1854.     77  p.     8°. 

Prepared  upon  the  plan  recommended  by  Professor  Jewett,  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution.. 

Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress.     Chapter  I.    Ancient  history. 
Complete  to  January,  1854. 
Washington:  Stereotyped  and pri7ited  at  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion, 1854.      {i  p.  /.),  19,  (.1)  P-     Folio. 

Additions  made  to  the  Librar}'  of  Congress  since  the  first  day  of 
November,  1854.     November  i,  1855. 
Washi7igton:  Printed  by  Joh7i    T.   and  Letn.   Towers,  183^.     249 
p.     8°. 

Additions  made  to  the  Library  of  Congress  since  the  first  day  of 
November,  1855.     November  i,  1856. 
Washingtoyi:    Printed  by  John   T.  &  Le^n.    Towers,    i8§6.     12^ 
p.     8°. 

Additions  made  to  the  Library  of  Congress  since  the  first  day  of 
November,  1856.     November  i,  1857. 
Washingto7i:  Pri7ited  by  Lei7iuel  Towers,  18^'].     pj  p.     8°. 

Additions  made  to  the  Library  of  Congress  since  the  first  day  of 
November,  1857.     November  i,  1858. 
Washingt07i:  Printed  by  Lemziel  Towers,  18^8.     "]!  p.     8°. 

Additions  made  to  the  Library  of  Congress  since  the  first  daj^  of 
July,  1859.     November  16,  1859. 
Washingto7i:  Printed  by  Lemuel  Towers,  i8^p.     40  p.     8°. 

Additions  made  to  the  Library  of  Congress  since  the  sixteenth  day 
of  November,  1859.     November  i,  i860. 
Washington:  Pri7ited  by  Le77i7iel  ToTvers,  i860.     31  p.     8°. 

Catalogue  of  the  Library  of    Congress.      Chapters    XVIII-XXIII. 
Jurisprudence. 
Washi7igto7i:    Pri7ited   by   order   oj   Co7igress   \by  To7vers\ ,  i860. 
via,  225  p.     8°. 

Added  t.  p.     Catalogue  of  the  law  department  of  the  Library  of 
Congress.     By  Charles  H.  W.  Meehan. 

15939  vols.     Advance  issue  of  portion  of  following: 


CLASSIFICATION   OF   LIBRARY.  52 1 

X.   Catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress.     Printed  by  order  of  Con- 
gress. 
City  of  Washington:  Lemuel  Towers,  printer,  j 861.     viii,  ijp8  p. 

8°. 

Additions  made  to  the  Library  of  Congress  since  the  first  day  of 
November,  i860.     With  omissions  from  the  last  general  cata- 
logue.    December  i,  1861. 
Washington:   Governmetit printiyig  office,  1862.     80  p.     8°. 

Catalogue  of  additions   made   to   the   Library  of   Congress   from 
December  i,  1861,  to  December  i,  1862. 
Washington:   Government  printing  office,  1862.     i^i,  jj  p. 
8°. 

The  33  pages  at  end  contain  list  of  law  books. 

Catalogue  of  additions   made   to   the   Library  of   Congress   from 
December  i,  1862,  to  December  i,  1863. 
Washington:   Governme^it printiyig  office,  186 j.      114  p.     8°. 

Catalogue   of    additions   made   to    the   Librarj-  of    Congress  from 
December  i,  1863,  to  December  i,  1864. 
Washi?tgto7i :   Goverjiment printijig  office,  1864..     113  p.     8°. 

XI,   Alphabetical  catalogue  of  the  Library  of  Congress.     Authors. 
Washington:  Government  printing  office,  1864.     i2j6  p.     4°. 


Appendix  VI. 

Classificatioyi  of  the  Library 

"  In  this  table  the  earlier  schemes  of  classification  are  indicated  in 
detail;  the  Spofford  scheme  is  printed  in  a  fragmentary  form,  and  only 
with  a  view  to  illustrating  the  evolution  of  the  scheme  originated  by 
Jefferson.  It  may  be  observed,  however,  that  the  principal  modifications 
introduced  during  the  Spofford  administration,  besides  those  here  noted, 
consisted  in  additions  of  form  cla.sses,  geographical  subdivisions,  and  sub- 
divisions by  subject  arranged  alphabetically.  The  cla.sses  in  the  schemes 
of  1815  and  of  1861  which  Librarian  Spofi:ord  retained,  with  such  sub- 
di\asions  as  were  necessary,  are  indicated  in  this  table  in  small  capi- 
tals; the  new  classes  introduced  into  the  schemes  of  Librarian  Meehan 
and  Librarian  Spofford  (the  latter  in  part  only)  are  indicated  in  italic. 
Of  other  changes  of  location,  of  name,  or  by  subdivision,  the  first  are 
indicated  by  numbers  in  parentheses  following  the  name  of  the  class 
and  showing  the  number  of  the  class  to  which  the  section  was  trans- 
ferred. 


L. 


TABLE   SHOWING   CLASSIFICATION  OF   THE   LIBRARY, 


SooMtiniUiig  (]S)' 
Boojikctpiiig  (S).  , 


iS     Bquitv. 


Bibliomphy. 


ninallaw     Military  Is 


'j«    SrSl5^S""'&-"% 


leorology.  optic*,  puciiniiilfa 


Jl^    FlMnM.'wdBhw,  «!.< 


i       aMcHc  and  «„,„,«, 


in  S"4.^ 


!«-»     LMJC. 


■oocuiualiM.  phonics,  and  opIlM  I  »r-»    Sj^^^'   ^ 
HI       Aalronomy  (6).  |  a^  Mj^AOogy,  mjitietim.ete. 

"       "'"rf"!!    •™'I"'"*-    '"'"'•">P"    3'  Hue«rt*:«. ». 'Kngra. 


«       mction.  « 

UiaicT*^*)  anV  h      ri  '^ 

jA       Bihtlotcniphy  oud  cnllcicm.  !  3^ 


c 


INDEX 


Access  to  shelves,  216,  380. 

Accession  book,  35,  180. 

Adams,  John  Quincy,  on  the  work  of  the 
Library  Committee,  47,  48. 

Adams  &  Co.'s  express,  damage  for  in- 
jvired  books,  352. 

Admission  to  the  Library-,  1S5,  376. 

Agent  of  the  Joint  Library  Committee  to 
have  library  privileges,  57. 

Alexander  VI,  Pope,  bull  on  division  of 
the  New  World,  acquired,  310. 

Allen,  Edward,  London  agent  of  the  Li- 
brary, 351. 

American  Association  for  the  Advance- 
ment of  Science,  committee  on  geo- 
graphical department  in  Library,  340. 

American  Athenaeum  in  Paris,  proposed 
as  agency  for  exchanges,  258. 

American  Bibliographer,  Stevens's,  471. 

American  history,  collections  for,  169; 
lack  of  materials,  447;  relation  of  Li- 
brary to,  50,  234,  492;  transcripts  of 
colonial  documents,  166,  315.  See  also 
Civil  war. 

American  libraries,  168,  233;  Jewett's  re- 
port on,  452;  Rhees's  manual  of,  452; 
union  catalogue  of,  452;  compared  with 
European,  240,  473. 

American  natural   history,  bibliography 

of,  473- 

American  Register.  See  Walsh's  Ameri- 
can Register. 

American  scholars,  need  of  large  libraries 
for,  479,  481,  483. 

American  topograph}-,  Tatham's  collec- 
tion, 50. 

Americana,  446;  Harvard  collection  of, 
168;  Obadiah  Rich's  collection  of,  167; 
to  be  collected  for  the  Library,  165,  246; 
collection  in  the  Library,  311;  bibliog- 
raphy of,  proposed,  453;  to  be  compiled 
by  Stevens,  467;  prospectus  of,  46S;  in 
the  British  Museum,  470;  catalogue  of, 
472. 


Anderson,  Charles  F.,  plan  for  extension 

of  Capitol,  218. 
Anderson  &  Meehan,  publishers,  213. 
Anonymous  works,  cataloguing  of,  356, 

357,  365- 

Appropriations,  19,  41,  152,  159,  163;  ta- 
ble of,  515. 

Archives  to  be  removed  to  Librarj',  160. 

Assistant  librarian,  348;  ofiice  established, 
179. 

Astor  Library,  243. 

Attorney-General,  Library  privilege  for, 
29,  56,  154,  183. 

Atwater,  Caleb,  on  the  Library,  353,  382. 

Bache,   plans  a  bibliographical    bureau, 

450- 

Bacon,  John,  on  appropriation  for  the 
Library,  29. 

Baconian  classification,  142. 

Baldwin,  Abraham,  chairman  of  Library 
Committee,  35,  36. 

Barlow,  Joel,  private  library  of,  36. 

Bartlett,  Richard,  on  danger  of  nonfire- 
proof  room,  138. 

Bavaria,  proposes  exchange  of  public 
documents,  264. 

Bayard,  James  A.,  member  of  Committee 
on  Library  Organization,  26;  on  appro- 
priation, 29;  on  extension  of  Library 
privilege,  31. 

Beckley,  John,  appointed  Librarian,  34. 

Belgium,  propo.ses  exchange  of  public 
documents,  257. 

Benton,  his  use  of  the  Librar}-,  380. 

Bequests.     See  Donations. 

Bibliographia  Americana,  to  be  compiled 
by  Stevens,  467;  prospectus  of,  468. 

"Bibliographia  Americana  historico-na- 
turalis,"  472. 

Bibliographical  bulletin,  proposed  by 
Jewett,  440,  463. 

Bibliographical  bureau,  proposed  by 
Bache  in  connection  with  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  450;  by  Henry,  4S6. 

523 


524 


INDKX 


Bibliographical  policj'  of  Library,  226, 
302. 

Bibliographical  works,  value  of,  437; 
Smithsonian  collection  of,  436;  to  be 
published  by  Smithsonian,  467;  Smith- 
sonian catalogue  of,  473. 

Bibliography,  of  Americana,  453;  of  edu- 
cation, 473;  of  natural  history,  472;  of 
Rebellion  literature,  373;  universal, 
464. 

Bibliotheque  Nationale,  Paris,  design  for, 
described,  124. 

Bigger,  Finley,  appointed  disbursing  of- 
ficer, 350. 

Bills,  preservation  of,  398. 

Binding  of  books,  353. 

Bingham,  William,  member  of  Joint  Li- 
brary Committee,  24. 

Blodget,  Samuel,  suggests  law  to  aug- 
ment National  Library,  46,  note. 

Blodget's  Hotel,  occupied  bj^  Library,  120. 

Bond,  given  by  Librarian,  33,   190,  191, 

192,  193.  195- 
Book  agents  appointed,  350;  commission 

of,  351- 

Books,  prices  of,  37,  90,  239,  309,  423. 

Books,  time  required  for  reading,  476; 
uses  of,  477. 

Borland,  on  purchase  of  MS.  of  Washing- 
ton's Farewell  Address,  330. 

Borrowing  books,  58,  181,  182,  375,  506. 

Bossange,  Hector,  offers  to  supply  books 
for  Library,  351. 

Boston  Atheuieum,  acquires  Washing- 
ton's library,  248. 

Boston  Daily  Advertiser,  December  23, 
1825,  on  Library  fire,  132. 

Botanical  museum,  Watterston  on,  112. 

Bradley,  bibliographical  plan  of,  225,  226. 

British  Museum,  cataloguing  in,  356; 
copyright  privilege  in,  445;  collection 
of  Americana  in,  246,  470;  catalogue  of 
Americana  in  (Stevens),  472;  deficien- 
cies in,  485;  example  of,  160. 

Brodhead,  on  expenditures  for  the  repair 
of  the  Library  room,  296. 

Brown,  on  purchase  of  MS.  of  Washing- 
ton's Farewell  Address,  332. 

Brown  University  Library,  bibliographi- 
cal collection  in,  437. 

Buchanan,  on  the  organization  of  the 
Smithsonian  Institution,  415. 

Buckingham,  James  Silk,  on  the  Library, 
379. 


Building  suggested  for  Library,  123. 
Bulfinch,  Charles,  plan  for  Library  rooms, 

128;  on    rendering    Library  fireproof, 

136. 
Buturlin  library,  offered  to  Congress,  229; 

opinion  of   the   press  on,   230;  G.  W. 

Greene  on,   236;   discussed  in  Senate, 

238 ;  planned  as  nucleus  of  Astor  Library, 

243- 

Buying,  428;  in  Europe,  152,  162;  in  1852, 
301;  bids,  308.  See  also  Book  agents, 
prices. 

Cadell  &  Davies,  London  booksellers,  24, 

Calendaring  of  MSS.,  314. 

Canada,  proposes  exchange  of  public 
documents,  264. 

Carey  &  Co.,  Philadelphia  booksellers, 
164. 

Carter,  on  purchase  of  MS.  of  Washing- 
ton's Farewell  Address,  332. 

Cartographical  depot,  proposed,  346. 

Casey,  on  purchase  of  MS.  of  Washing- 
ton's Farewell  Address,  331. 

Cass,  Lewis,  on  need  for  national  library, 
228;  submits  resolution  on  inquiry  into 
the  origin  of  the  fire,  2S4;  on  expense 
of  the  fire,  2S5;  his  use  of  the  Library, 
380. 

Catalogue,  scrapbook,  356;  union,  398, 
431,  452,  463;  universal  (Jewett),  464. 

Catalogues  of  Library,  147,  354;  criticism 
of,  148,  355;  cost  of,  149,  355,  362;  dis- 
tribution of,  367;  format  of,  466;  list 
of,  516;  of  documents,  251;  of  rebellion 
literature,  373. 

Cataloguing,  cooperative,  35S,  360,  455; 
conditions  necessary  in,  465;  rules  for, 
454;  of  anonymous  works,  356,  357,  365. 

Chainpagne  Club  (January  3,  1835),  de- 
scribes the  reading  room,  380,  381. 

Chandler,  on  purchase  of  MS.  of  Wash- 
ington's Farewell  Address,  332,  338. 

Chaplains  of  Congress,  Library  privilege 
for,  183,  373. 

Charging  system,  58,  181,  182,  505. 

Choate,  Rufus,  on  the  Library,  186,  409; 
on  the  organization  of  the  Smithsonian 
Institution,  404;  on  the  Smithsonian 
library,  434;  resigns  as  Regent  of,  496. 

Civil  war,  literature  on,  247. 

Charts  in  Library,  60. 

Chittenden,  Lucius  E.,  appointed  dis- 
bursing officer,  350. 

Clarke,  on  purchase  of  MSS.,  325. 


INDEX 


525 


Classification,  by  size,  4S,  49;  by  subject 

(Jefferson),     141;    modifications,    367; 

table  exhibiting  development  of,  521; 

of  Senate  librar)',  399. 
Clay,  Henry,  letter  to  Watterston  on  his 

removal,  199;  on  Buturlin  library,  243; 

on  purchase  of  MS.   of  Washington's 

Farewell  Address,  327. 
Clayton,  on  transcription  of  documents 

on  American  history,  316. 
Clerk  of  the  House,  to  take  charge  of  the 

Library,  27;  Library  priA-ilege  for,  184, 

373- 
Clingman,  on  repairing  the  Library  room, 

291. 
Closing  of  the  Library-,  28,  58,  185,  368, 

376. 
Cluskey.  C.  B.,  on  lighting  the  Library, 

217. 
Coale  &  Maxwell,  Baltimore  booksellers, 

155- 

Collamer,  on  Senate  library,  400. 

Collections (i8i4),48;  (1829),  168;  (1851), 
269;  (1864),  310.  See  also  Documents, 
manuscripts,  etc. 

College  libraries,  233. 

Columbian  Institute,  supported  by  Wat- 
terston, 118. 

Committee  on  Library,  duties  of,  177, 
225,  308;  members  of,  509;  organiza- 
tion of,  222;  power  of ,  328;  records  of, 
222. 

Committee  on  Library-  reports  (Decem- 
ber 18,  1801),  on  organization,  32;  (Jan- 
uary 20,  1806),  on  increased  appropria- 
tions, 45;  administrative  reports  (Feb- 
ruary II,  1807),  47;  (April  II,  1808), 
48;  (January  27,  1809),  48;  on  Jefferson 
library  (October  7,  1814),  72;  (Novem- 
ber 28,  1814),  84;  (Februar}'  20,  1815), 
100;  administrative  reports  (January 
26,  1816),  151;  (January  6,  1S17),  156; 
on  Library  building,  Februarj'  18,  1817, 
123;  administrative  reports  (December 
19,  1820),  127;  (May  16,  1826),  164; 
(May  17,  1828),  164;  on  Buturlin  col- 
lection (March  15,  1836),  239;  on  Vatte- 
mare  exchange  (June  5,  1840),  255;  on 
Durazzo  collection  (June  7,  1844),  245; 
on  Vattemare  exchange  (May 4,  1S48), 
259;  on  extension  of  privilege  to  Court 
of  Claims  (June  12,  1858),  374. 

Confederacy,  a  library  for,  389. 

Continental  Congress,  17. 


Converse,  S. ,  on  transcription  of  docu- 
ments on  American  history,  315. 

Cooperative  cataloguing,  358,  360,  455. 

Copyright,  in  England,  150,  445;  the  Li- 
brary' as  place  for  deposit,  158,  247,  257; 
law  to  be  amended,  259,  260;  Elliot's 
index  to  copj-right  books,  372;  Smith- 
sonian Institution  as  place  for  deposit, 
43 1 1  439;  copyright,  object  of  deposit, 
440;  list  of  copyright  publications  is- 
sued, 440,  448;  publications  received  by 
State  Department,  442;  of  music,  443; 
international  copyright  exchange,  449; 
franking  privilege,  450;  business  trans- 
ferred to  Department  of  theInterior,45o. 

Coues,  Samuel  E.,  mentioned  as  Meehan's 
successor,  347. 

Court  of  Claims,  Library  privilege  for,  374. 

Cuba,  literature  on,  247. 

Current  events,  books  on,  247. 

Custom-house  agents,  351. 

Dana,  member  of  Select  Committee  on 
Library,  30;  on  Senator  Mitchill,  45. 

D'Arusmont,  Frances  Wright,  on  Jeffer- 
son library,  96. 

Davis,  on  purchase  of  IMS.  of  Washing- 
ton's Farewell  Address,  329. 

Days  and  hours  of  opening,  28,  58,  185, 
368;  evening,  376. 

De  Brahme's  MSS.  to  be  bought  by  the 
Library,  313. 

Decorations,  294. 

Dennis,  moves  a  joint  library  committee 
be  appointed,  23;  on  Library  privilege 
for  judges  of  the  District,  31. 

Departments,  heads  of.  Library  privilege 
for,  31,  56,  157,  183,  373. 

De  Quincey,  on  the  use  of  large  libraries, 
476. 

Desiderata,  lists  of,  157,  165,  308. 

Dexter,  Samuel,  chairman  of  the  first 
Joint  Library  Committee,  24. 

Dickerson,  Mahlon,  interest  in  the  Li- 
brary, 158,  223,  227. 

Diplomatic  corps,  Library  privilege  for, 

31.  56,  154,  183. 

Disbursing  officer  appointed,  350. 

Distribution  of  catalogues,  367;  of  public 
documents,  174,  253,  266. 

Documents,  collection  in  Library,  54,  59, 
173'  251,  253;  in  House  library,  3S8; 
distribution  of,  174,  253,  266;  exchange 
of,  257;  index  of,  36S;  preservation  of, 
398;  municipal,  263;  State,  251,  262. 


526 


INDEX 


Donations,  48;  solicited,  150;  acknowl- 
edgments of,  352;  to  the  Smithsonian 

.    Institution,  488. 

Dougherty,  Joseph,  letter  to  S.  H.  Smith, 
102. 

Douglas,  on  the  abandonment  of  the 
Library  plan  for  the  Smithsonian  In- 
stitution, 497. 

Draper,  I,. ,  proposes  the  American  Atli- 
engeum  in  Paris  as  agency  for  ex- 
changes, 25S. 

Duane,  William,  letter  to  Madison,  25. 

Dufief,  bookseller  of  Philadelphia,  37. 

Duncanson,  William  Mayne,  proposed  as 
Librarian,  44. 

Duplicates,  165;  exchange  of,  358. 

Duponte's  collection,  168. 

Durazzo  collection,  offered  to  Congress, 
243;  committee  report  on,  245. 

Duties  on  books,  etc.,  imported  for  the 
Library,  163,  26S;  on  international  ex- 
changes, 259,  260,  261;  custom-house 
agents,  351. 

Dwight,  Henry  E.,  on  a  national  library, 
141. 

Easby,  William,  on  expenses  occasioned 
by  the  fire,  280. 

Eastburn&Co.,NewYorkbooksellers,i64. 

Ebeling's  collection  of  maps,  344. 

Education,  bibliography  of,  473. 

Electrotyping  catalogues,  458. 

Ellet,  Mrs.  E.  F.,  on  pamphlets  in  the 
Library,  186. 

Elliot,  William,  list  of  copyright  books, 
372. 

Elliptic  room,  41. 

Elmer,  Ebenezer,  on  appropriation  for 
the  Library,  30. 

Engravings  in  Librar}-,  60. 

Erving,  George  W.,  37,  38;  presents  col- 
lection of  bronze  medals,  131,  132. 

European  libraries,  compared  with  Ameri- 
can, 473. 

Eustis,  member  of  Select  Committee  on 
Library,  30. 

Evans,  Thomas,  member  of  the  first  Joint 
Library  Committee,  23. 

Evening  opening,  376. 

Everett,  Edward,  on  the  fire  of  1825,  132; 
letters  to  Watterston,  164, 165;  to  Joseph 
Story,  165;  services  of,  224,  227;  on  tran- 
scription of  documents  on  American 
history,  317;  on  a  geographical  depart- 
ment, 346. 


Exchange  of  documents,  domestic,  253, 
263;  international,  254,  257;  municipal, 
263;  reports  to  be  issued,  258;  of  dupli- 
cates, 358;  international  copyright,  449; 
between  libraries,  358,  463;  of  society 
publications,  488. 

Ex-Presidents,  Library  privilege  for,  373. 

Faden,  William,  collection  of  maps,  340, 
note. 

Financial  agents  of  the  Library  Com- 
mittee, 350. 

Fines,  58,  60,  61,  176,  181. 

Fires  in  the  Library  (1814),  66;  (1825), 
132;  (1851),  275;  causes  of,  280,  284;  ap- 
propriation to  meet  expenses  incurred, 
286. 

Fireproof  room,  question  of,  136;  Jewett 
on,  283. 

Fixtures  and  furniture,  60,  121,  130,  215. 

Floor,  216,  289,  290,  300. 

Florida,  De  Brahme's  collection  on,  313. 

Foot,  Solomon,  on  Senate  library,  393. 

Force,  Peter,  acquired  part  of  Tatham 
collection,  53,  note. 

Foreign  ministers.  Library  privilege  for, 
31,  56,  154,  183. 

France,  exchange  of  documents,  257,  264. 

Franklin's  library,  37. 

Fromentin,  Eligius,  member  of  Library 
Committee,  122;  letter  to  the  Register 
of  the  Treasury,  155. 

Frost,  J.  T.,  Assistant  Librarian,  45;  on 
the  destruction  of  the  Library,  67. 

Furniture  and  fixtures,  60,  121, 130,  215. 

Geographical  department,  proposed  by 
E.  B.  Hunt,  340;  memorial  on,  344; 
qualifications  of  the  superintendent, 
345;  Everett  on,  346. 

Georgeioivn  Daily  Federal  Reptcblican, 
quoted,  91. 

Germany,  literature  on,  247. 

Gerry,  Elbridge,  submits  plan  for  Library, 
18,  26. 

Gifts.     See  Donations. 

Gillett,  R.  H.,  appointed  disbursing 
officer,  "^50. 

Girard,  Charles,  bibliography  of  Ameri- 
can natural  history,  472. 

Girardiu,  recommended  for  librarian- 
ship,  179. 

Gleig,  George  R. ,  account  of  the  Capitol, 
referred  to,  43,  note. 

Goddard,  Calvin,  on  appropriation  for 
the  Librarj',  30. 


INDEX 


527 


Gottingen  University  library,  exaiii])le 
of,  141,  405,  425. 

Gordon,  Thomas  F.,  wants  Congressional 
patronage  for  index  to  documents,  369. 

Great  Britain  proposes  exchange  of  pub- 
lic documents,  257. 

Greene,  George  Washington,  on  a  na- 
tional library,  236,  note. 

Gueullette,  vSimon,  "  Method  of  Learning 
Roman  History,"  translated  by  Wat- 
terston,  114. 

Hale,  Edward  Everett,  collection  of  maps, 
340;  suggestions  on  stereotyping  cata- 
logue titles,  45S. 

Hamilton  MSS.,  bought,  321. 

Hartley  correspondence,  offered  to  the 
Library,  313. 

Harvard  College,  president  of,  on  need 
for  a  national  library,  140. 

Harvard  University  Library,  collection 
of  Americana,  168;  De  Brahme  collec- 
tion, 313;  maps  in,  343;  catalogue  of, 
entered  in  union  catalogue,  453;  num- 
ber of  volumes  in,  473. 

Heating,  130,  289,  299;  Jewetton,  283. 

Henry,  Joseph,  on  formation  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Library,  433;  on  Stevens's  plan 
for  a  Bibliographia  Americana,  467;  on 
a  bibliographical  bureau,  486. 

Hickey,  W.,  on  Senate  library,  394. 

Hinman,  Charles  W.,  assistant  in  the 
Library,  349. 

Historical  Nuggets,  published  by  Ste- 
vens, 472. 

History,  importance  of  materials  for,  492. 
See  also  American  history. 

Hoban,  James,  report  on  the  Capitol,  34. 

Holmes,  Isaac  E.,  on  purchase  of  MS. 
of  Washington's  Farewell  Address,  333. 

Holmes,  John,  speech  on  Watterston's 
removal,  199. 

Hours  and  days  of  opening,  28,  58,  185, 
368;  evening,  376. 

House  library,  387;  room,  388. 

Houston,  Sam,  letter  to  the  Librarian,  182. 

Hume,    E.    J.,   assistant    librarian,   189, 

348. 

Hungary,  literature  on,  247. 

Hunt,  Edward  B.,  plan  for  a  geograph- 
ical department,  340. 

Hunter,  on  temporary  quarters  for  the 
Library,  285;  on  repairing  the  Library 
room,  2S8,  296. 

Imported  books,  duties  on.     See  Duties. 


Index,  of  documents,  314,  368;  of  Na- 
tional Intelligeyicer,  372. 

Indexes,  importance  of,  4S7. 

Inge,  on  purchase  of  MS.  of  Washington's 
Farewell  Address,  336. 

Ingersoll,  J.  R.,  on  purchase  of  MSS., 
326;  on  library  plan  for  Smith.sonian 
Institution,  421. 

Interior  Department,  copyright  business 
transferred  to,  450. 

International  copyright  exchange,  449. 

International  exchange,  254,  257;  reports 
to  be  issued,  258.     Sec  also  Vattemare. 

Janes,  Beebe  &  Co.,  awarded  contract  for 
construction  of  Library  room,  292. 

Janitor,  203,  349. 

Jefferson,  Thomas,  appoints  Beckley  as 
librarian,  34;  on  selection  of  books,  36; 
on  Franklin's  library,  37;  on  the  ap- 
pointment of  Librarian,  44;  letters  to 
S.  H.  Smith,  69,  82,  98;  to  Milligan, 
81,  103;  to  Dougherty,  loi;  to  Watter- 
ston  on  classification,  143;  to  Wood- 
ward on  classification,  147;  to  Watter- 
ston  on  catalogue  of  Library,  148;  con- 
tinued interest  in  the  Library,  159; 
recommends  Girardin  for  librarianship, 
179;  on  MSS.  of  Virginia  records,  170; 
MS.  of  his  "Notes  on  Virginia,"  pre- 
sented to  the  Library,  312;  his  MSS. 
bought,  321. 

Jefferson  library,  offered  to  Congress,  68; 
committee  report  on,  72;  purchase  of, 
72,  84;  objections  to,  74,  80;  press  com- 
ment on,  89;  evaluation  of,  80,  84,  89; 
price  per  volume,  82,  84;  removal  to 
Washington,  97;  damaged  by  fire,  27S. 

Jewett,  Charles  Coffin,  on  construction  of 
Library  building,  282;  on  bibliograph- 
ical plans  for  the  Library,  302;  on  a 
catalogue  for  the  Library,  358;  plan  for 
cataloguing,  359;  on  cost  of  catalo- 
guing, 362;  on  formation  of  the  Smith- 
sonian library,  431;  proposes  a  biblio- 
graphical bulletin,  440;  collects  library 
statistics,  451;  issues  report  on  libraries, 
452;  plan  for  a  union  catalogue  of 
American  libraries,  453;  formulates 
rules  for  cataloguing,  454;  plan  for 
stereotyping  catalogue  titles,  456;  on 
the  importance  of  large  libraries  for  the 
American  scholar,  481;  on  the  librarj' 
policy  of  the  Smithsonian  In.stitution, 
487;  removed  from  office,  496. 


528 


INDEX 


Jillson  continues  Jewett's  work,  363. 

Johnson  on  purchase  of  MS.  of  Washing- 
ton's Farewell  Address,  332,  335. 

Judges  of  the  District,  Library  privilege 
for,  31,  375- 

Judiciar)'  Committee  report  on  library 
plan  for  the  Smithsonian  Institution, 
498. 

Kearney,  James,  assistant  librarian,  44. 

Kearon,  Robert,  Atwater  on,  353. 

King,  Cyrus,  on  purchase  of  Jefferson 
library,  74,  85,  86. 

King,  Josias  Wilson,  assistant  librarian, 

35- 

King,  William  R.,  on  authority  of  Library 
Committee,  328,  329. 

Kirkland,  John  T.,  on  need  for  national 
library,  140. 

Knapp,  Samuel  L.,  on  character  of  the 
Library,  49;  bibliographical  plan  of, 
226. 

"Knowledge,"  meaning  of  term  in 
Smithson's  will,  500. 

Kohl,  J.  G.,  proposes  a  cartographical 
depot  in  the  Library,  346. 

Lanman,  Charles,  candidate  for  librarian- 
ship,  384. 

Latrobe's  plan  for  Library  rooms,  128. 

Law  collection,  condition  of,  157,  171, 
248;  Joseph  Story  on,  165;  to  be  under 
control  of  Supreme  Court,  173;  rooms 
for,  216,  250;  appropriations  for,  217; 
privileges  of,  374. 

Laws  (April  24,  1800),  removal  and  ac- 
commodation of  the  Government,  23; 
(January  26,  1802),  establishing  the 
Library,  32;  (January  2,  1805),  disposal 
of  public  documents,  54,  55;  (February 
21,  1806),  appropriation  for  the  support 
of  Library,  46;  (May  i,  1810),  privilege 
for  agent  of  committee,  56;  (January 
30,  1815),  purchase  of  Jefferson  library, 
89;  (March  3,  1815),  Library  room  and 
transportation  of  Library,  loi;  (Decem- 
ber 3,  1818),  removal  of  Library  to 
north  wing  of  Capitol,  126;  (May  26, 
1824),  appropriation  and  rooms,  163; 
(February  11,  1825),  duties  on  books, 
etc.,  imported  for  Library,  163;  (July 
14,  1832),  law  department,  249;  (March 
29,  1848),  to  remit  duties  on  books, 
etc.,  for  the  Library,  268;  (June  26, 
1848),  exchange  of  public  documents, 
260;    (December    26,    1851),   expenses 


occasioned  by  fire,  279;  (January  15, 
1852),  providing  room  for  Library,  287; 
(March  19,  1852),  repairs  of  Libraiy 
room,  291;  (January  13,  1852),  appro- 
priation to  meet  expenses  incurred  by 
fire,  286.     See  also  Resolutions. 

Law,  William,  on  transcripts  of  docu- 
ments on  American  history,  315. 

"The  Lawyer,"  novel  by  Watterston,  109. 

Learning,  relation  of  libraries  to,  478, 
479.  481,  483. 

Lenox,  James,  purchases  MS.  of  Wash- 
ington's Farewell  Address,  340. 

Lester,  C.  Edwards,  letter  on  Durazzo 
collection,  243. 

Liberia,  proposes  exchange  of  public 
documents,  264. 

Librarian,  appointment  by  President  of 
Senate  and  Speaker  of  House  suggested, 
30 ;  by  Joint  Library  Committee  suggest- 
ed, 153;  by  President,  29,  30,  32,  33;  dis- 
cussed, 199;  bond  of,  33,  190,  191,  192, 
193,  195;  duties  of,  58,  60,  61,  180;  re- 
moval of,  199;  salary  of,  33,  153,  178, 
348. 

Librarians  appointed  (Beckley),  34;  (Ma- 
gruder),44;  (Watterston),  107;  (Mee- 
han),  189;  (Stephenson),  383;  (Spof- 
ford),  384. 

Libraries,  large,  importance  of,  476;  im- 
portance to  scholars,  491,  493. 

Library  buildings,  Jewett  on,  282. 

Library  Company  of  Philadelphia  offers 
use  of  its  books  to  Congress,  17;  cata- 
logue of,  entered  in  union  catalogue, 

453- 
Library  convention,  New  York  (1853),  on 

the  stereotyping   of    catalogue   titles, 

361;  on  the  Smithsonian  as  a  national 

library,  482. 
Library  of   Congress  (before   1800),   17; 

(1800-1805),      23;       (1805-1814),      41; 

(1815-1817),     150;     (1817-1824),     158; 

(1824-1829),    160;      (1829-1851),     213; 

(1852-1864),  275;  intended  for  use  of 

Congress,  306;  as  nucleus  of  national 

library,   234,   304,  506;    relations  with 

other  Wa.shington  libraries,  400. 
Library  statistics,  collected  by  Jewett,  451. 
Lieber,  Francis,  on  national  library,  227. 
Lighting  of  the   Library,   130,    136,  217, 

289;  Jewett  on,  284. 
Livermore,   George,  on   need    for  large 

libraries  for  American  scholars,  483. 


INDEX 


529 


Livermore,  Samuel,  moves  establishment 
of  Congressional  Library,  23. 

Livingston,  E.  R.,  proposes  to  index  pub- 
lic documents,  372. 

Loan  system,  58,  iSi,  182,  375,  505;  loans 
between  libraries,  463. 

Loans,  time  of,  28,  58. 

London  Gazette,  file  of,  in  the  Library, 

347- 

Loss  of  books,  177. 

Loss  of  MS.,  183. 

Lounging  in  the  Library,  128,  186,  218, 
380. 

McDonald,  John,  applies  for  librarian- 
ship,  25, 34. 

McDufl&e,  proposes  transcription  of  doc- 
uments on  American  history,  315. 

Mackintosh,  James,  Library  of,  235. 

Maclane,  Mary,  on  the  library,  382. 

Macleod,  Donald,  applies  for  the  libra- 
rianship,  348. 

McMullin,  on  the  Architect  of  the  Capi- 
tol, 296. 

Madison,  to  Jefferson,  72. 

Madison  MSB.,  bought,  321. 

Madison's  Administration,  Watterston 
on,  113. 

Magruder,  Patrick,  appointed  Librarian, 
44;  resigns,  68,  107. 

Mallory,  on  Senate  library,  393. 

Manuscripts,  collection  of,  169,  234,  312; 
lost,  183;  calendaring  of,  314;  tran- 
scripts of,  166,  315. 

Maps,  in  Library,  60,  160,  340;  of  the 
States,  340;  collections  of  (Ebeling), 
344,  (Faden),  340,  (Hale),  340,  (Har- 
vard), 343. 

Marsh,  George  Perkins,  on  Durazzo  col- 
lection, 245;  on  Library  of  Congress, 
270;  on  library  plan  for  Smithsonian 
Institution,  421,  428. 

Marshall,  John,  anecdote  of,  57. 

Martineau,  Harriet,  on  collection  of 
medals,  131. 

Mason,  on  abandonment  of  library  plan 
for  Smithsonian  Institution,  497. 

Meacham,  J.,  on  library  plan  for  the 
Smithsonian  Institution,  490;  criti- 
cised by  the  committee,  502;  rejoinder, 
503. 

Medals,  collection  of,  131,  132,  221;  de- 
stroyed by  fire,  277. 

Meehan,  C.  H.  W.,  assistant  in  the  Li- 
brary, 251,  348;  Atwater  on,  353. 

23399-04 34 


Meehan,  John  Silva,  appointed  Librarian, 
189;  biography,  213;  as  journalist,  214; 
as  Librarian,  214,  215;  death  of,  215; 
on  effects  of  the  fire,  277;  Atwater  on, 

353- 

Messenger,  salary  of,  349. 

Mexico,  literature  on,  247. 

Miller,  on  purchase  of  MSS.,  324. 

Milligan,  Joseph,  letters  to  Jefferson,  78, 
84,  102,  104. 

Mills,  Robert,  plan  for  extension  of  Capi- 
tol, 217. 

^Ministers,  foreign,  Library  privilege  for, 
31,  56,  154,  183. 

INIinute  book  of  the  Library  Committee, 
222. 

Mitchill,  Samuel  Latham,  chairman  of 
Library  Committee,  45. 

Monticello  library.    See  Jefferson  library. 

Montresor  collection,  51. 

Morfit,  H.,  index  to  National  Intelli- 
gencer, 372. 

Morris,  George  A.,  assistant  in  the  Li- 
t>rary,  349. 

Municipal  publications,  exchange  of,  263. 

Murphy,  reports  on  international  ex- 
change, 259. 

Music,  copyright  of,  443. 

National  Intelligencer  (July  31,  1815), 
on  need  for  national  library,  138; 
(August  28,  1823),  on  need  for  national 
library,  160;  (January  i,  1825),  on  Li- 
brary room,  129;  (December  24,  1825), 
on  Library  fire,  134;  (Jmie  16,  1829), 
on Watterston's removal,  197;  (Novem- 
ber 13,  17,  24,  1837),  on  cataloguing, 
355;  (January  3,  1844,  May  25,  1853), 
on  evening  opening,  376;  (April  14, 
1852),  on  bibliographical  policy  of  Li- 
brary, 303;  (June  21,  i860),  on  colonial 
documents,  318;  Morfit's  index  to,  372. 

National  Institute,  415. 

National  Journal,  on  removal  of  Watter- 
ston, 190,  191,  194,  197. 

National  librarj',  need  for,  discussed,  50, 
138,  161,304,  476,  491,  493,  505;  (Kirk- 
land),  140;  (Dwight),  141;  (Tyson), 
236;  (Jewett),  473;  must  be  established 
by  Congress,  228,  306;  New  York 
library  conference  (1853),  resolutions 
on,  482;  location  of,  494;  scope  of,  486; 
value  of,  501. 

National  Register,  edited  by  Watterston, 
112. 


530 


INDEX 


Natural  history,  bibliography  of,  472. 

New  York  Evening  Post,  correspondence 
on  purchase  of  Jefferson  library,  87. 

New  York  library  conference  ( 1853),  361, 
482. 

New  York  Society  library,  17. 

Newspapers,  collection  of,  60,  346;  Wash- 
ington, 388. 

North  American  Review  (December, 
1818),  on  need  for  national  library,  140; 
(July,  1837),  on  a  national  library,  231; 
(July,  1850),  on  need  of  large  libraries 
for  American  scholars,  483;  (October, 
1854) ,  on  the  library  plan  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  505. 

Norton,  Charles  B.,  offers  his  collection 
of  MSS.,  313. 

NortoJi's  Literary  Gazette  (February  15, 
1852),  on  Smithsonian  library,  482; 
(July  15, 1 85  2), on  selection  of  books  for 
Library,  308;  (July  15,  1852),  on  copy- 
right law,  440;  (February  15,  1855),  on 
library  plan  for  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion, 505. 

Notation,  scheme  of,  367. 

Nourse,  Michael,  appointed  disbursing 
oflEicer,  350. 

Oakley,  on  purchase  of  Jefferson  library, 

73.  77- 

Officers,  178,  347,  348;  list  of,  509.  See 
also  Librarian,  Assistant  librarian. 

Opening,  hours  and  days  of,  28,  58,  185, 
368;  evening,  376. 

Otis,  Samuel,  letter  to  Jefferson,  24;  ap- 
plies for  librarianship,  34. 

Oven  or  elliptic  room,  41. 

Owen,  Robert  Dale,  on  the  library  plan 
for  the  Smithsonian  Institution ,417,428. 

Paintings  in  Library,  220;  destroyed  by 
fire,  276. 

Palfrey,  J.  G.,  on  Dr.  Priestley's  library, 
155;  on  purchase  of  Jefferson's  MSS., 332. 

Pamphlets  in  Library,  186. 

Patent  Office,  library  of,  400. 

Patents,  Commissioner  of,  Library  privi- 
lege for,  184,  375. 

Paulding,  J.  K.,  letter  to  Watterston,  117. 

Pearce,  James  Alfred,  services  of,  223;  on 
repairing  the  Library  room,  287;  on  the 
authority  of  the  Library  Committee, 
328;  on  organization  of  the  Smithsonian 
Institution,  411;  on  the  abandonment 
of  the  library  plan  for  the  Smithsonian 
Institution,  496. 


Penalty,  58,  60,  61,  176,  181. 

Periodicals  in  Library,  20;  ordered,  156; 
difficulty  in  getting,  347;  displayed  on 
tables,  353. 

Philadelphia  Library  Company  offers  use 
of  its  books  to  Congress,  17;  catalogue 
of,  entered  in  union  catalogue,  453. 

Pickering,  on  purchase  of  Jefferson's 
library,  76. 

Poinsett,  Joel,  interest  in  the  Library, 
159,  224. 

Politics  in  Library,  causes  injury,  187, 
209. 

Portugal,  proposes  exchange  of  public 
documents,  257. 

Post-office  building,  library  in,  120. 

President,  Library  privilege  for,  56;  power 
of  appointment,  29,  30,  32,  33,  153;  of 
removal,  199. 

Preston,  on  Buturlin  library,  238,  239;  on 
Vattemare's  plan  for  international  ex- 
change, 255. 

Prices  of  books,  37,  90,  239,  423;  raised 
by  demand  in  America,  309. 

Priestley's  library,  155. 

Private  libraries  in  America,  36. 

Privileges  of  the  Library,  extension  of, 
55.  154.  183,  373;  objections  to,  184. 

Quincy,  Josiah,  on  John  Randolph,  26. 

Randolph,  John,  member  of  Committee 
on  Library  Organization,  26;  on  appro- 
priation for  the  Library,  30;  on  Library 
privilege,  31;  on  Senator  Mitchill,  45. 

Receipt  for  books,  28. 

Reading,  time  required  for,  476. 

Rebellion  publications,  catalogue  of,  373. 

Reed,  John,  on  purchase  of  Jefferson 
library,  75. 

Regulations,  27,  33,  58,  171;  relating  to 
documents,  59. 

Reibelt,  J.  P.,  asks  to  be  appointed 
Librarian,  44. 

Reports.  See  Committee  on  library  re- 
reports. 

Resolution,  on  privilege  for  Supreme 
Court  (March  2,  1812),  57;  for  heads  of 
departments,  etc.  (January  13,  1830), 
373;  on  international  exchange,  (June 
20,  1840),  256;  on  distribution  of  cata- 
logue, (January  20,  1843),  367;  on  pur- 
chase of  MS.  of  Washington's  Fare- 
well Address  (February  12,  1850),  340; 
on  distribution  of  public  documents, 
(January  28,  1857,  266).    See  also  Laws. 


INDEX 


531 


Re\nllagigedo's  instructions,  INIvS.  pre- 
sented to  Library,  312. 

Revolution  of  1848,  literature  on,  247. 

Rich,  Obadiali,  collection  of  Americana, 
167;  Ivondon  agent  of  the  Library,  226, 
246,  350;  death  of,  351. 

Rich  Brothers,  London  agents,  309,351. 

Richards  &  IVIallory,  Georgetown  book- 
sellers, offer  use  of  their  books  to 
Senate,  68. 

Rives,  on  the  organization  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  413. 

Rogers,  John  K.,  method  of  stereotyping, 

459- 
Room  for  Library  (1S02),  33;   (1805),  41; 

(1815),    120;     (1824),    129;     (1829-51), 

215;  (1852-64),  287. 
Ross,  General,  on  the  destruction  of  the 

Librarj^,  68. 
Royall,  Anne,  on  Watterston,    107,    119; 

on  useless  books  in  the  Library,  169. 
Rules  and  regulations,   27,  33,  58,   171; 

as  to  use  of  documents,  59. 
Rush,    Richard,    asks   for   relaxation  of 

rules,  184. 
Sainsbury,    W.    Noel,    letter    regarding 

calendar  of  colonial  papers,  318. 
Salaries,  33,  178,  348. 
Sardinia,  donation  of  public  documents, 

264. 
Sargent,  Nathan,  on  Randolph's  library, 

26,  note. 
Science,  relation  of  libraries  to,  478,  479, 

481,  483- 
Secretary  of  the  Senate  to  take  charge  of 

the  Library,  27;  Library  privilege  for, 

184,  373- 

Selection  of  books,  223,  226,  229;  on  cur- 
rent events,  247;  duty  of,  delegated  to 
the  Librarian,  308;  Jefferson  on,  36; 
Jewett  on, 446;  policy  regarding,226,302. 

Senate  library,  392. 

Shelving,  219;  Jewett  on,  283;  height  of, 
298. 

Skirving,  John,  appointed  superintendent 
of  construction  of  Library  room,  292. 

Smith,  Samuel  Harrison,  letters  to  Jef- 
ferson, 71,  80,  97. 

Smith,  Thomas  L.,  appointed  disbursing 
officer,  350. 

Smithson,  James,  meaning  of  his  will 
discussed,  499. 

Smithsonian  Institution,  organization  of, 
404;  Regents'  resolutions,  429;  appro- 


priations for  the  library,  429;  commit- 
tee on  library  appointed,  429;  commit- 
tee on  organization,  430;  executive 
committee's  report  on  library*,  433;  re- 
port of  library  committee,  434,  489; 
duties  of  librarian,  435;  collections 
in,  436;  bibliographical  publications, 
467;  library  plan  defeated,  473,  496; 
Henry's  plan  for  bibliographical  bu- 
reau, 4S6;  exchange  of  society  publi- 
cations, 488;  Regents'  resolution  on 
power  of  Secretary,  496;  Judiciarj' Com- 
mittee on  library  plan,  498;  meaning 
of  Smithson's  will,  499;  House  com- 
mittee on  management  of,  499;  phrase 
"not  exceeding"  in  law  establishing, 
500;  Meacham's  criticisms,  502. 

Society  publications,  ordered,  156,  438; 
exchange  of,  4S8. 

Solicitor  of  the  Treasury  granted  I^ibrary 
privilege,  374. 

Somerby,  H.  G.,  on  transcripts  of  docu- 
ments on  American  history,  316. 

Southern  Literary  ISIessenger  on  admin- 
istration   of    Smithsonian    Institution, 

504. 

Spain  proposes  exchange  of  public  docu- 
ments, 264. 

Sparks,  Jared,  on  value  of  Jefferson  col- 
lection, 95;  on  the  collection  of  Ameri- 
can history,  169;  on  transcription  of 
documents  on  American  history,  315. 

vSpofford,  Ainsworth  R.,  appointed  as- 
sistant librarian,  348;  reforms  in  cata- 
loguing, 365;  appointed  Librarian,  384. 

Sprigg  on  Library  privilege  for  judges 
of  the  District,  31. 

Staff,  178,  347,  348,  509.  See  also  Libra- 
rian, Assistant  lil)rarian. 

Stanton  on  expenses  occasioned  by  the 
fire,  279. 

State  Department  receives  copyright 
works,  442. 

State  documents,  251;  wanted  by  Vatte- 
mare,  262. 

State  laws,  to  be  jirocin-ed  for  the  Library, 
165,  171,  250. 

Statistics  of  American  libraries  (Jewett), 
451;  of  European  libraries,  474. 

vStatues  in  Library,  220. 

vStelle,  Edward  B.,  appointed  assistant 
librarian,  180;  removed,  189;  Watter- 
ston on,  201;  restored,  348;  Atwater 
on,  353. 


532 


INDEX 


Stephens  on  purchase  of  MS.  of  Wash- 
ington's Farewell  Address,  336,  337. 

Stephenson,  John  G.,  biography  of,  3S3. 

Stereotyping  of  catalogues,  titles  recom- 
mended by  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion, 360;  adopted  by  the  Library  Com- 
mittee, 361;  manner  of  applying,  459; 
economy  of,  455,  460;  objections  to, 
466. 

Stevens,  Henry,  oifers  his  collection  of 
Vermont  laws,  247;  proposes  calendar 
of  colonial  papers,  317;  to  compile  Bib- 
liographia  Americana,  467;  publishes 
"Stevens's  American  bibliographer," 
471;  "Historical  nuggets,"  472;  "Cat- 
alogue of  American  books  in  the  library 
of  the  British  Museum,"  472. 

Stevens's  Avierica7i  hibliographer,  471. 

Story,  Joseph,  on  law  collection,  165. 

Sumner,    Charles,    on    Buturlin    librarj', 

243- 

Supreme  Court,  Library  privilege  for, 
29,  31,  56,  183;  to  control  law  collec- 
tion, 173. 

Supreme  court  of  the  District,  Library 
privilege  for,  31,  375. 

Switzerland,  donation  of  public  docu- 
ments, 264. 

Tappan,  on  the  Smithsonian  Institution, 
404,  410. 

Tariff.     See  Duties  on  books. 

Tatham,  William,  collection  of  American 
topography  and  of  American  history, 
50. 

Taylor,  Franck,  book  agent  of  the  Li- 
brary, 351. 

Thefts  of  books,  177. 

Thompson,  Pishey,  book  agent  of  the 
Librar)-,  164,  226,  350. 

Thornton,  William,  letter  to  Jefferson,  79. 

Thurman,  on  library  plan  for  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution,  428. 

Ticknor,  George,  on  value  of  Jefferson 
library,  95. 

Time  of  Library  loans,  28,  58. 

Time  required  for  reading,  476. 

To-day,  Boston,  cited  on  character  of 
Library,  269. 

Topography,  American,  Tatham's  collec- 
tion, 50. 

Tornel,  Josd  Maria,  presents  MS.  to  the 
Library,  312. 

Transcription  of  documents  for  American 
historj',  166,  315. 


Translations  of  foreign  books,  162. 
Tutt,  offered  librarianship,  213,  note. 
Tyson,  Job   R.,  on  need  for   a   national 

library,  236. 
Union,    correspondence   on    Americana, 

311- 
Union   catalogue  of  American  libraries, 
431,  452,  463;  value  of,  453;  of  Wash- 
ington libraries,  398. 
United  States  Congress,  documents  cited: 

Seventh  Congress,  first  session,  Sen- 
ate report,  32. 

Ninth  Congress,  first  session.  Senate 
report,  45. 

Ninth  Congress,  second  session.  Sen- 
ate reix)rt,  47. 

Thirteenth  Congress,  third  session, 
Senate  report,  73,  100. 

Thirteenth  Congress,  third  session, 
House  document  No.  2,  66. 

Sixteenth  Congress,  second  session. 
Senate  report  No.  25,  127. 

Seventeenth  Congress,  first  session. 
House  document  No.  26,  129. 

Seventeenth  Congress,  second  ses- 
sion, Senate  document  No.  9,  129. 

Eighteenth  Congress,  first  session, 
House  report  No.  69,  161. 

Nineteenth  Congress,  first  session. 
Senate  report  No.  98,  164. 

Nineteenth  Congress,  first  session. 
House  report  No.  66,  137. 

Twentieth  Congress,  first  session. 
Senate  report  No.  198,  164. 

Twenty-fourth  Congress,  first  ses- 
sion, Senate  report  No.  11,  164. 

Twenty-fourth  Congress,  first  ses- 
sion. Senate  report  No.  242,  243. 

Twenty-sixth  Congress,  first  session, 
Senate  document  No.  521,  256. 

Twentj'-sixth  Congress,  first  session, 
Senate  document  No.  529,  256. 

Twenty-sixth  Congress,  first  session, 
Senate  report.  No.  521,  255;  report. 
No.  16,  252;  House  document.  No. 
50,  255;  House  report.  No.  5S6,  255. 

Twenty-seventh  Congress,  third  ses- 
sion. House  report.  No.  41,  372. 

Twenty-eighth  Congress,  first  ses- 
sion. House  report.  No.  516,  217; 
553.  246. 

Thirtieth  Congress,  first  session.  Sen- 
ate miscellaneous  document.  No. 
46,  259. 


INDEX 


533 


United  States  Congress,  documents 
cited — Continued. 

Thirtieth  Congress,  first  session,  Sen- 
ate miscellaneous  document,  No. 
126,  262. 

Thirtieth  Congress,  first  session, 
House  miscellaneous  document. 
No.  99,  261. 

Thirtieth  Congress,  first  session. 
House  report,  No.  90,  217. 

Thirty-first  Congress,  first  session. 
Senate  miscellaneous  document. 
No.  126,  263. 

Thirty-fir.st  Congress,  first  session. 
Senate  report,  No.  145,  218. 

Thirty-second  Congress,  first  session. 
Senate  report,  No.  63,  291. 

Thirty-second  Congress,  second  ses- 
sion, Senate  miscellaneous  docu- 
ment, No.  53,  361. 

Thirty -second  Congress,  second  ses- 
sion. House  document.  No.  i,  293. 

Thirt}'-second  Congress,  second  ses- 
sion,   House    document.    No.    18, 

293- 
Thirty -fourth  Congress,  third  session. 
House  executive  document.  No.  i, 
300. 
Thirty-fifth   Congress,    first  session. 

Senate  report,  No.  328,  375. 
Thirty-fifth   Congress,   first  session. 
House    miscellaneous    document, 
No.  129,  267. 
Thirty-seventh  Congress,  third  ses- 
sion. Senate  report,  No.  73,  264. 
Thirty-eighth  Congress,  first  session. 
Senate  miscellaneous   documents, 
No.  3,  399. 
Thirty-eighth  Congress,  first  session. 
House  executive   documents.   No. 
I,  300. 
Fifty-third  Congress,  second  session, 
Senate  report.  No.  178,  292. 
United  States  Telegraph,  onWatterston's 

removal,  191,  192,  195. 
Universal  catalogue,  464. 
Upcott,    William,    MSS.,    collection    re- 
fused, 313. 
Use  of  the  Library,  379;  during  the  War, 

383. 
Vattemare,  Alexandre,  establishes  system 
of   international   exchanges,   254;    ap- 
pointed agent  of  Library  Committee, 


261;  granted  franking  privilege,  262: 
informed  of  discontinuance  of  agency, 
264. 

Venable,  on  purchase  of  MSS.,  324. 

Ventilation,  290. 

Vermont,  Stevens's  collection  of  laws  of, 
247. 

Verplanck,  G.  C,  services  of,  224. 

Vice-President,  Library  privilege  for,  56. 

Virginia  records,  acquired  by  Library, 
170,  171,  312. 

Volumes  in  Library,  number  of,  515. 

"Vonderpuff,  Johannes,"  ironical  letter 
to  Jefferson,  91. 

Walsh's  American  register,  on  purchase 
of  Jefferson  Library,  89;  on  need  for 
national  library,  139. 

Walter , Thomas  U.  ,on  causes  of  fire  ( 1 85 1 ) , 
2S1;  on  repairing  Library,  288;  archi- 
tect of  new  Library  room,  292;  on  prog- 
ress of  the  work,  293. 

Warden,  David  E. ,  on  Library  quarters,  42. 

Warren,  Josiah,  method  of  stereotyping, 

459- 

Washington,  George,  returns  thanks  to 
Philadelphia  Library  Company,  17. 

Washington  MSS.  bought,  321. 

Washington's  Farewell  Address,  MS.  of, 
Senate  discussion  on,  326;  House  dis- 
cussion on,  331;  vote  on,  334,  339; 
bought  by  Lenox,  340. 

Washington's  Library, offered  for  sale,  247. 

Washington  Botanical  Society,  estab- 
lished, 118. 

Washingto7i  City  Chronicle,  edited  by 
Watterston,  112;  on  system  of  classifi- 
cation, 146. 

Washington  City  Gazette,  edited  by  Wat- 
terston, III. 

Washington  City  Library,  347,  400;  use 
of,  offered  to  Congress,  68. 

Washiijgton  Republic,  correspondence  on 
causes  of  fire  (1851),  281. 

Watson,  Joseph,  presents  MS.  to  Library, 
312. 

Watterston,  George,  appointed  librarian, 
107;  biography  of,  108;  as  author,  109; 
as  journalist,  1 11, 112;  on  botanical  mu- 
seum, 112;  on  Madison's  administra- 
tion, 113;  interest  in  education,  114;  in 
Washington  City,  115;  in  statistics,  116; 
in  politics,  118;  in  social  life,  119;  views 
on  slavery,  119;  letter  to  Madison,  ac- 


534 


INDEX 


cepting  appointment,  121;  to  Jefferson, 
on  catalogue  of  Library,  147,  149;  to 
Jefferson, on  classification,  141;  to  Brent, 
on  returning  books,  182;  to  Library 
Committee,  on  condition  of  Library, 
176;  removal  of,  journalistic  contro- 
versy, 189;  Watterston  on  his  removal, 
194;  its  effect  on  the  Library,  199;  on 
Meehan's  appointment  as  assistant  li- 
brarian, 201;  letter  to  Clayton  on  rein- 
statement, 203,  204;  to  Clay,  on  same, 
205;  to  Fillmore,  on  same,  207;  applj'- 
ing  for  office  of  Commissioner  of  Public 
Buildings,  20S;  death  of,  209;  on  Bu- 
tiirlin  library,  238;  on  index  to  public 
documents,  369;  on  purchase  of  books, 
428. 


Weller,  on  Senate  Library,  393. 

Wheatley,  on  the  catalogue  of  1840,  354. 

Wheaton,  Henry,  proposes  the  American 
Athenaeum  in  Paris  as  agency  for  ex- 
changes, 258. 

Wilcox,  method  of  electrotyping,  458. 

Wilde,  Richard  Henry,  on  Buturlin  li- 
brary, 229. 

Wiley  &  Putnam,  offers  to  supply  books 
for  Library,  350. 

Wirt,  William,  asks  to  have  his  Library 
privilege  extended  to  a  friend,  184. 

Woodbury,  Levi,  services  of,  224. 

Woodward,  Augustus  Brevoort,  system 
of  classification,  142. 

Wiirttemberg,  proposes  exchange  of  pub- 
lic documents,  257. 


ADDENDUM. 

In  the  Continental  Congress,  January  23,  1783,  a  com- 
mittee, consisting  of  Mr.  Madison,  Mr.  Mifflin,  and  Mr.  Wil- 
liamson, reported,  in  consequence  of  a  motion  of  Mr.  Bland, 
a  list  of  books  proper  for  the  use  of  Congress,  and  proposed 
that  the  Secretary  should  be  instructed  to  procure  the  same. 
In  favor  of  the  report  it  was  urged  as  indispensable  that 
Congress  should  have  at  all  times  at  command  such  authors 
on  the  law  of  nations,  treaties,  negotiations,  etc.,  as  would 
render  their  proceedings  in  such  cases  conformable  to  pro- 
priety; and  it  was  observed  that  the  want  of  this  information 
was  manifest  in  several  important  acts  of  Congress.  It  was 
further  observed  that  no  time  ought  to  be  lost  in  collecting 
every  book  and  tract  which  related  to  American  antiquities 
and  the  affairs  of  the  United  States,  since  many  of  the  most 
valuable  of  these  were  every  da}^  becoming  extinct;  and  the}'- 
were  necessary,  not  only  as  materials  for  a  histor}'  of  the 
United  States,  but  might  be  rendered  still  more  so  by  future 
pretensions  against  their  rights  from  Spain,  or  other  powers 
which  had  shared  in  the  discoveries  and  possessions  of  the 
New  World.  Against  the  report  were  urged,  first,  the  incon- 
venience of  advancing  even  a  few  hundred  pounds  at  this 
crisis;  secondly,  the  difference  of  expense  between  procuring 
the  books  during  the  war  and  after  a  peace.  These  objec- 
tions prevailed  b}"  a  considerable  majority.  A  motion  was 
then  made  by  Mr.  Wilson,  seconded  by  Mr.  Madison,  to 
confine  the  purchase,  for  the  present,  to  the  most  essential 
part  of  the  books.     This  also  was  negatived. 

Papers  of  James  Madison  (1840),  vol.  i,  p.  269. 

535 

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